PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today dismissed party deputy president Azmin Ali’s stand that some internal issues needed to be stated publicly.

Saifuddin said Azmin should have used internal mechanisms to raise his concerns over several party appointments by president Anwar Ibrahim instead of going public to show his displeasure.

Yesterday, Azmin had defended openly questioning the appointments, including that of Saifuddin as the secretary-general, saying some issues needed to aired publicly.

Saifuddin, aligned to Azmin’s rival, Rafizi Ramli, said PKR had internal mechanism at various levels for leaders to raise concerns.

“As a reformist party, PKR has created so much space for its leaders and members to use at every (level of the) decision-making process. One can raise his or her issues during the annual congress, or even at leadership council meetings.

“With so many avenues, it would be better if such mechanisms are made use of,” the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister told reporters in Putrajaya.

Azmin had dismissed criticism about not going through official party channels to air his grouses, saying that he had met Anwar on several occasions prior to issuing his statement.

“There are times when the views are made private, there are times it is made public, but even then, it is after discussing with the president.

“It doesn’t mean I did not follow the party channels,” he had said.

Azmin’s displeasure followed Anwar’s announcement last month of the appointments of former Pandan MP Rafizi – who was Azmin’s challenger for the PKR deputy presidency – and two others as vice-presidents, along with several other appointments as part of PKR’s central leadership line-up.

Azmin then issued a statement urging Anwar to review his appointments, saying they did not reflect the principles of fair and just representation of the party’s members and would not help build the party.

Anwar then advised his deputy to set an example by channelling his complaints through the correct channels and to bring them up during party meetings instead. – January 7, 2019.