S'wak PKR leaders, division chiefs arrive in KL for a 'revolt'

PETALING JAYA: A majority of Sarawak PKR division chiefs and top state party leaders are in Kuala Lumpur to call for a revolt, says a source.

"Seventeen division leaders and 31 state party leadership council members are here now, and they will hold a press conference later in the afternoon, led by Sarawak PKR leader Baru Bian," said the source.

Baru, who is the Works Minister, is also the MP for Selangau and state assemblyman of Ba' Kelalan.

It is believed that the division chiefs and Sarawak party leaders will be stating their vote of no-confidence against the top PKR leadership.

Sarawak's PKR state leadership recently butted heads with the party's top national leaders over PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin's rescinded invitation to officiate the PKR Youth National Convention slated for Dec 6.

A statement on Nov 15, signed by Baru and seven others, including national vice-president Ali Biju, said that unless "democracy is returned to the party", the state convention would be cancelled.

However, PKR National Convention Director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad refuted this, saying hat the convention would go as planned on in Miri on Nov 23.

Another PKR group also said the convention would proceed because a statement had been signed by a majority of the division leaders calling for the event.

On Nov 12, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution was alleged to have retracted the invitation to Azmin to officiate the PKR Youth National Convention, despite an invitation letter being sent out by PKR Youth.

The youth national convention will now be officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also advisor to the PKR central leadership council.

On Nov 15, Azmin reacted by stated that he was being silenced by "hidden hands" who did not want him to be heard by PKR members.

In reply, PKR Youth chief Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said it was Azmin who destroying the party by airing party problems in public.