Rival groups face off outside PKR HQ as Zuraida replies to show-cause letter

PETALING JAYA: Two rival groups faced off outside PKR headquarters, one in support of party vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin (pic), while the other calling for her to be sacked.

The groups braved the pouring rain while holding up banners and shouted slogans.

The anti-Zuraida group consisted of mostly teenagers and youths dressed in civilian clothes, while the other group was dressed in PKR party shirts and held placards in support of the Housing and Local Government Minister.

Both groups were there as Zuraida is expected to give her reply to PKR disciplinary committee over a show-cause letter for criticising party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at a dinner function on Dec 8.

The situation was tense as Zuraida's political secretary Hizwan Ahmad entered the headquarters to hand over the reply to the show-cause letter.

However, police kept watch over both groups until the crowd dispersed peacefully around 1.45pm.

On Jan 18, Zuraida was issued with a show-cause letter and was given 14 days to respond.

Zuraida was asked to respond to a list of issues including the content of a speech at a PKR gathering at Renaissance Hotel on Dec 8.

In her speech at the “Shared Prosperity Vision” dinner, the party vice-president claimed that Anwar had tried to convince her that it was deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali in the sex video that went viral in June 2019.

The dinner was organised by Azmin shortly after those aligned to his faction boycotted the final day of the party’s national congress in Melaka.

The party has in recent months been split into two factions, one supporting Anwar and the other supporting Azmin, ever since a sex video purportedly featuring the latter was circulated by a team allegedly led by PKR members from Anwar's faction.

Zuraida has openly sided with Azmin.