Shouts of 'Reformasi' greet Azmin at SPV 2030 dinner
Sunday, 08 Dec 20197:02 PM MYT
By FATIMAH ZAINAL
image: https://apicms.thestar.com.my/uploads/images/2019/12/08/427468.jpg
KUALA LUMPUR: After being absent on the final day of the PKR national congress in Melaka, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali (pic) and other party leaders aligned to him have converged at a hotel here for a gathering.
At the "Shared Prosperity Vision (SPV) 2030" dinner, a festive mood was in the air, a contrast from the hostile atmosphere in Melaka, where the four-day national congress packed with drama concluded on Sunday afternoon (Dec 8).
The dinner here was attended by PKR vice-presidents Zuraida Kamaruddin, Ali Biju, Tian Chua, PKR women's chief Haniza Mohamed Talha, deputy youth chief Hilman Idham, Amirudin Shaari and Sivarasa Rasiah, among others.
Shouts of "Reformasi" from more than a thousand supporters reverberated in the ballroom and greeted Azmin as he walked into the venue at about 5.40pm to join his peers at the main table.
Tian Chua, who was booed at the congress in Melaka on Sunday for cautioning PKR members against being obsessed about Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim becoming the next prime minister, was also greeted with loud cheers from the crowd.
Fresh from the congress in Melaka, delegates started arriving as early as 4pm, with some wearing PKR shirts and others in batik or formal wear as per the event's dress code.
PKR has been rocked by infighting between factions aligned to Anwar and Azmin in recent months.
On Saturday (Dec 7), about 100 PKR members staged a walkout after claiming that speeches by delegates at the congress had been critical of Azmin.
Later in a joint statement with several PKR central committee members, Azmin claimed that Anwar's speech on Saturday,
which began with a story of Si Kitol and Raja Mendeliar, had prompted delegates to launch personal attacks.
According to the Malay Annals, Si Kitol and Raja Mendeliar were the traitors who caused the downfall of the Melaka Sultanate to the Portugese in 1511.
Earlier on Friday (Dec 6), two individuals were injured and another two arrested following a brawl at the PKR Youth and Women's wing congress, which started with a commotion and later escalated into scuffles involving about 50 individuals.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/12/08/shouts-of-039reformasi039-greet-azmin-at-spv-2030-dinner#1QQCPHCa4JXPLgOa.99
