Anwar: Azmin will be told to explain himself

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali has been told to give an explanation over a meeting with several Umno lawmakers held at his official residence, says his party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“Surely we will ask for his explanation. It has created a lot of questions from our partners so he should come forward to give his side (of the story), ” said Anwar.

Azmin reportedly met with 22 Umno MPs, including former Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, at his house in Putrajaya late Monday (Nov 18).

Anwar also told Azmin to attend the PKR's political bureau meeting on Wednesday (Nov 20).

Asked on what capacity Azmin met with the opposition lawmakers, Anwar said that he was unsure.

“That is why we want his explanation whether it is representing the government or party.

“If it based on his capacity as the government, why weren’t other lawmakers invited?” Anwar said at the Parliament lobby on Tuesday (Nov 19).

Pressed if the meeting was appropriate after Pakatan Harapan’s loss in the recent Tanjung Piai by-election, Anwar said, “Sometimes our friends do not learn from our experience like the huge defeat in Tanjung Piai”.

On the outcome of the Tanjung Piai-by election, Anwar said the Pakatan presidential council will meet on Saturday (Nov 23) to discuss the matter.

The Tanjung Piai by-election saw Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng from MCA win with an overwhelming 15,086-vote majority.

Wee, a former two-term Tanjung Piai MP, garnered a total of 25,466 votes against Pakatan candidate Karmaine Sardini who obtained 10,380 votes; Gerakan's Wendy Subramaniam (1,707), followed by Datuk Dr Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz of Berjasa (850) and two independents, Dr Ang Chuan Lock (380) and Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghaffar (32).