Have a 'big heart', hold special meeting to discuss issues, Anwar told

KUALA LUMPUR: Zuraida Kamaruddin (pic) has called on PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to show a "big heart" if he aspired to be the eighth Prime Minister.

The PKR vice-president said it was unbecoming of a person aspiring to be the leader of the country to reject a simple request to hold a reconciliation meeting with elected leaders from his own party.

The Housing and Local Government Minister said this in response to Anwar's decision not to entertain requests made by disgruntled groups in his party.

Anwar had said it was unnecessary to hold a special meeting requested by those who had been boycotting regular party meetings.

"We want to meet him (Anwar), and I think as a leader aspiring to be the eighth Prime Minister, he should show a big heart," Zuraida said after opening a "plogging" campaign - a combination of jogging and picking up trash - in Pandan Indah to promote the culture of collecting trash for cash on Sunday (Sept 22).

Anwar had said they could always meet and discuss during regular party meetings.

According to Zuraida, it was pertinent to hold the special meeting to discuss serious and sensitive issues.

Zuraida said the normal party meetings could not be used as a platform to openly discuss highly sensitive issues in the presence of too many people, including appointed leaders.

"We merely want to discuss highly sensitive issues, and help set the party direction.

"We love PKR and we love the country. If the party is strong, the country will be strong too. That's what we want to do," she said.

Both Zuraida and party deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali have yet to attend party meetings after the emergence of a sex video that appeared to have fractured the party.

Former Santubong PKR Youth chief Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz had confessed publicly that he was one of the two men in the video and alleged that the other person was Azmin.

Azmin has since denied any involvement in the sex video, dismissing the scandal as a “nefarious plot” to destroy his political career.