PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang, better known as Tian Chua, stood his ground to declare that those aligned to deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali are not traitors to the cause, as he was jeered and heckled today at the congress in Malacca.

“How could we have succeeded, without Azmin’s efforts in the last 20 years and his excellent record in Selangor?” asked Chua.

Without addressing issue directly, Chua said he is disappointed with the debates yesterday that chose to attack Azmin and his faction rather than national issues.

During the debates, several delegates had called on the party to sack the “traitors” to the party, causing Azmin and his faction to lead a walkout during the congress.

Chua said the PKR should not be focused on a “cult personality”.

“For a party that has just obtained power, many members now have a hero worship mentality.

“It’s dangerous to have blind loyalty to a leader and build cult personalities,” said Chua, who also walked out yesterday.

He said it is an unhealthy culture to merely punish “traitors”.

He added he did not need to lift banners and placards declaring Anwar as PM No. 8 to prove his loyalty.

“But we have many supporters who are becoming extreme and want to blindly follow a leader.

“This is not about Anwar as after him there will be other prime ministers and presidents.

“If you want to turn PKR into a party that follows its leaders without question, it depends on Anwar.

“This is not about Anwar. We are trying to avoid the party from becoming one that lifts its leaders blindly.” – December 8, 2019.