KUALA LUMPUR – It is wrong to label him as being part of Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s faction in PKR, Chua Tian Chang said yesterday, debunking any past and present alliance with the party renegade.
Setting the record straight, Chua, who is a former PKR vice-president, said the notion that the pair used to be on the same team was hatched by simplistic journalism, insisting that those close to him would know this for a fact.
I was never considered part of Azmin’s faction. Even Azmin himself knows that,” he told The Vibes during an exclusive interview in his office yesterday.
According to Chua, the only time he had aligned himself with Azmin was during the party election in 2018, when he supported the latter’s campaign for PKR deputy president.
The motivation behind his decision then, he said, was nothing more than to ensure the party remained cohesive and stable, particularly with the internal polls taking place just after Pakatan Harapan secured victory in the 14th general election.
“The reason was very simple. Azmin was the (Selangor) menteri besar before that, and he was already PKR deputy president. We had just captured federal power, and the party needed stability.
“I disagreed with any challenge against him (then), because this would destabilise and fractionalise the party. So, I said very firmly that I’d support him.
“That is the truth. I will not deny that. But for people to label me as (part of) Azmin’s faction because of that...I think that is very unfair.”
Chua was previously reported to have shared a very close relationship with Azmin, who later led a group of PKR MPs to quit Pakatan Harapan in February 2020 to form a new government with rival parties.
While many of Azmin’s faction had joined him in quitting PKR, Chua and several others had remained in the party.
Despite this, he has been consistently alleged to be in Azmin’s faction, particularly after his infamous speech during a PKR convention after the Sheraton Move, where he accused many party members of blindly following the president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Factionalism will not split PKR
Chua said while PKR has been, and may currently, appear to be mired in supposed issues of factionalism, the camaraderie of those within the party will remain strong.
He said although members at times get involved in public bickering or disagreements, the comradeship built over years of common struggle ensures they will not be split.
“No matter where they stand, whether they are still with the movement or not, we are still friends. My relationship with Anwar, (deputy president) Rafizi Ramli, or (secretary-general) Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail will remain the same.”
Commenting specifically on the claims that Anwar and Rafizi do not see eye-to-eye on various party matters, Chua said these are merely organisational issues that will not threaten their shared values and principles.
Somehow, people have to understand PKR is not a party of yes-men. But the reminder to all quarters is that, no matter how passionate you are in your disagreement, you have to restrain yourselves from undermining public confidence.
“We all understand there can be friction, but we still move in the same direction. But the public is not used to it, and they will think PKR has failed to present a cohesive outlook and is not fit to rule the country.”
In this regard, Chua said it is vital that members be more careful in communicating in public to reduce the possibility of public confidence eroding.
In the build-up to the election, Anwar and Rafizi have issued several conflicting statements and views, with a party insider also previously telling The Vibes that while the former is the president, the latter appears to be calling most of the shots. – The Vibes, November 7, 2022
