Tian Chua turns up on second day of PKR leadership retreat

PORT DICKSON: PKR vice-president Tian Chua, who was among several senior party members absent at the opening of the party's inaugural retreat here Friday (July 19) night, turned up for a session on Saturday (July 20) morning.

Tian Chua, who is seen to be aligned to deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, mingled with journalists during tea break and then went back in for the next session where president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is due to deliver his opening speech.

When asked to comment on the so-called rift between the party's top two leaders, Tian Chua merely smiled and said he would provide them with an analysis later.

Other PKR leaders conspicuously missing from Friday's opening event that was attended by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir were Azmin and vice-presidents Zuraida Kamaruddin, women's wing chief Haniza Talha, and youth wing deputy chief Muhammad Hilman Idham.

Fellow vice-president Zuraida said she could not attend the retreat because she needed to attend the World Firefighters' Day at Dataran Merdeka today and that she would be flying off to Surabaya on Sunday (July 21).

Some 15 MPs as well as 21 members of its central leadership council did not show up.

Azmin is due to deliver a speech tonight. However, it cannot be established if he would turn up.

Separately, it is learnt that another five state PKR chiefs have signed a pledge in support of Anwar, bringing the total to 11.

It cannot be immediately established who the five were.

Six PKR state chiefs – representing Perlis, Kedah, Melaka, Terengganu, Federal Territories and Kelantan – have signed a statement stating that they fully supported Anwar.