ANWAR Ibrahim today rubbished talk that the prime minister’s office is the cause of the tension between him and his deputy Mohamed Azmin Ali, stressing that discussions for him to takeover are on track.

The PKR president denied a fight for power is at the heart of the discord between the two top party leaders.

“Firstly, that is not an issue. The MPs are with me. Pakatan Harapan has made a categorical stand; there’s no change.

“The discussions are on track, so what is the issue?”

“I’ve got the numbers, I got the support of Pakatan Harapan and the prime minister. So, it is not fair to me or Azmin to indicate otherwise.”

Meanwhile, in response to Azmin’s statement yesterday urging Anwar to look in the mirror before asking him to resign over a sex video scandal, Anwar said the economics affairs minister should have read his full statement before commenting.

“I did look at the mirror this morning,” Anwar said in jest.

“I don’t think it’s fair to him to be in this position as well.

“You guys asked a question… he responded.

“I don’t feel upset but I felt he should have read the full text in context,” he said, adding that Azmin should have refrained from making a statement to the press.

He added he has spoken to Azmin over the phone.

Anwar had advised Azmin to step down from the cabinet if the sex videos of him in circulation are authentic.

Anwar also said he has expressed disgust over the gutter politics used against Azmin in the sex video scandal.

He said he and his family sympathise with Azmin and his kin over the issue.

Commenting on the statement by 28 PKR central committee members and lawmakers who hit out at Anwar for not standing by Azmin, Anwar said he accepts their views.

On whether tensions will spill over to Pakatan Harapan, he said this is a signal to him that he has to lead a coherent party. – July 18, 2019.