Anwar wants reconciliation but warns he will be more strict

PKR AGM | Party president Anwar Ibrahim capped off the PKR congress today with a message of both reconciliation and warning.

“Yes I am patient, Shamsul Iskandar (PKR vice president) says my patience is god-like. I explained that there is a god that has holy arrows. There are times when this patient and intelligent god needs to use the holy arrows, so don’t worry.

“But we should not use the arrows before we discuss and hear (from each other).

“Those who agree, disagree, differ in opinion from us, are angry, staged a walkout - these are all our longtime and loyal party members.

“We can’t wipe out all their contributions just because of some momentary anger. So I hope that we can sabar sebentar (calm down for a bit),” he told members.

The past four days saw fights, police reports and hard-hitting delegate speeches calling for party “traitors” to be sacked.

The speeches triggered a walkout yesterday and many no-shows today, signalling a breakdown of the ceasefire agreement between factions aligned to the president and his deputy Mohamed Azmin Ali.

The hostile atmosphere against Azmin’s faction continued this morning, with jeers heard for vice-president Tian Chua.

Will be more strict

Anwar explained the party had advised delegates to tone it down beforehand but maintained that he could not have vetted all the speeches.

As for those who had walked out of the congress, he called for re-approachment.

“I think most are here, the delegates as well. According to our count, 80 percent are loyal to the party, but about 10 to 12 percent feel like they don’t want to come.

“We should approach them and tell them that this is not (in line) with party discipline. Unless there are those who feel like they are not with the struggle anymore, we will accept whatever decision they make,” he said.

“I assure you that I will now be more strict than before,” Anwar stressed as the crowd clapped and cheered.

As for his policy speech yesterday morning, the president reiterated that he never intended to offend anyone with his retelling of two traitors — Si Kitol and Raja Mendeliar — who caused the downfall of Malacca’s Malay sultanate in 1511.

“Those were historical facts. It was not to offend anyone," he said.

Azmin and his team previously took issue with the historical reference, accusing Anwar of paving the way for a barrage of criticism by delegates.

Start work in Sarawak

Meanwhile, Anwar urged party members to work hard to bring about reform, especially in Sarawak.

He announced that PKR will re-ignite party machinery in the east malaysian state next year.

“I appreciate our friends from Sarawak need to focus on development issues for the rakyat and ignite issues that are relevant to the people. I want to remind our Sarawak leaders that they must represent everyone.

“Beginning January (2020), we will direct our attention and re-invigorate our machinery in Sarawak,” he said.

The next Sarawak state election must be held before September 2021.

Reporting by Annabelle Lee, Geraldine Tong, Naimmullah Jaya, Wong Kai Hui and Yasmin Ramlan.

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