PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has denied speculation of a there being a rift brewing between her husband Anwar Ibrahim and the party’s deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Instead, the deputy prime minister reiterated her stand that there are no rival camps within PKR.

"I don't think there is a rift. As I've said, we are in one camp," said Wan Azizah yesterday, as quoted by The Malaysian Insight.

She said this when asked for comments on a report by Singapore's Straits Times which claimed that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad moved to empower Azmin through appointing him as Economic Affairs Minister in an attempt to neutralise Anwar's influence as de facto PKR leader.

The report also stated that Azmin had been appointed to the post despite PKR’s bid for one of four top portfolios – finance, home affairs, defence or education – being rebuffed during the early stages of negotiations.

Wan Azizah, however, insisted that while Azmin's name had not been submitted by PKR for a ministerial position, Mahathir had the final prerogative to appoint his cabinet.

"There is nothing wrong with this,” she reportedly said in reference to Azmin being named as economic affairs minister.

Quoting sources, the Straits Times report said that companies placed under the Economic Affairs Ministry - collectively worth more than RM1 trillion - includes state oil giant Petronas, sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd and savings manager Perbadanan Nasional Berhad.

This was on top of agencies in charge of Malay-Muslim welfare, such as the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda), pilgrimage fund Tabung Haji and a swathe of units and departments that help Malay entrepreneurs.

Mahathir's move, according to the Straits Times report, could strengthen Azmin's position, while checking Anwar's within PKR.

The English daily also claimed that Azmin and PKR Women's Wing chief Zuraida Kamaruddin, who is the housing and local government minister, were part of a "rival camp” against Anwar and Wan Azizah.