Azmin warns of ‘Umno’ men leading PKR

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 – With the economic affairs of the nation taking precedence, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali may not have been in the news of late, especially on PKR matters.

But the incumbent party deputy president took the podium at an event hosted by Kelantan PKR yesterday, urging members to vote for only those who have stayed with the party for many years, and remained loyal to the party, Malaysiakini reported.

“Don’t vote for those who came in yesterday and have become a division chief today. Yes, they have money.

“Don’t just choose those who have been in the party for a month. We can tell that even their faces are still ‘Umno faces’,” he told the crowd at the gathering in Kota Baru.

‘Umno’ people tainting PKR, says Azmin

The Economic Affairs Minister was referring to the sudden profileration of new members, especially those previously with Umno, now “tainting” PKR, and even challenging for posts in the party polls being held across the country.

He accused many of these division chief hopefuls of throwing money around to win votes as how they had been accustomed to while in Umno.

Kelantan PKR members will be putting in their ballots tomorrow to select leaders at the division, state and national levels.

Azmin is being challenged by PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli for the post of deputy president.

In the two states with voting completed so far, Penang and Johor, Azmin has beaten Rafizi. The only other state which had carried out the party polls was Kedah, but the state PKR has called for another polling date after chaos broke out at the venue where the voting was conducted.

Azmin flattered by TMJ’s remark

Meanwhile, on another note, Azmin told reporters that he was honoured to have been one of four politicians whom Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim considers worthy of becoming prime minister.

This was relayed by the prince, who is popularly known as TMJ, in a post on his Twitter account on Tuesday.

“This is just my opinion. Do you know who I think has potential to be a great prime minister in the future? Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Dato’ Seri Azmin Ali, YB Khairy Jamaluddin and YB Nurul Izzah,” TMJ said.

Azmin said he appreciated that it was TMJ’s personal view and accepted it.

In a further development to the tweet, TMJ also criticised some media for playing up what he said was a “personal opinion” to be as if it was him making a proposal.

He had previously tweeted that his expressing his opinion on the matter should also not be seen as him getting involved in politics.

– NMT