ANWAR Ibrahim said the “Si Kitol” reference in his speech at the PKR congress today was not targeted at his deputy, Mohamed Azmin Ali.

“If he feels it was, that’s his problem, not mine. It was a historical remark based on Sulalatus Salatin,” the party president told reporters after the congress at Malacca International Trade Centre.

“It’s just Malay history.”

Minutes earlier, at a press conference away from the congress venue, Azmin said delegates backing him walked out of the gathering because Anwar’s speech prompted attendees to bash the party No. 2.

The president included in his speech this morning the story of Si Kitol and Raja Mendeliar, contained in the Malay epic Sulalatus Salatin.

According to Malay history, Si Kitol and Raja Mendeliar were traitors who led to the Malacca Sultanate’s fall to the Portuguese in 1511.

Anwar said delegates’ attack on Azmin was out of his control.

“We can only advise them not to say things that will upset others, or name names. But it’s up to the delegates.

“It’s very hard to control their speeches.”

He added that delegates who addressed the congress were selected by PKR state chapters, and not the party secretariat.

Earlier, Azmin said the delegates picked to speak do not represent the grassroots, and that the walkout happened because Anwar “failed to live up to his end of the bargain”. – December 7, 2019.