PKR not even talking about Azmin’s ‘return’ to party: Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR – Murmurs of controversial figure Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali conniving his supposed return into opposition flagship PKR were quashed by the party today.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil told Getaran, the Malay-language sister portal of The Vibes, that Azmin’s possible return has yet to even become a topic of conversation among the party’s upper echelons.

Fahmi said rumours of Azmin having meetings with several senior PKR leaders to engineer a move back into the party have yet to sift through the party’s leadership. 

“The matter was not discussed among the PKR leadership. I have no information about the supposed meeting or whether it even took place, and about those who were there and not there,” he told Getaran. 

Fahmi conceded it would be difficult to convince the party, especially its grassroots, to accept Azmin returning to the outfit or even joining the leadership. 

“The grassroots and party supporters find it hard to accept the reintroduction of a controversial figure such as Azmin,” he added. 

Azmin was formerly PKR deputy president before defecting to Bersatu in 2020, where he now sits as a supreme council member. 

The Gombak MP has been labelled by many as the clutch behind the Sheraton Move coup in February 2020 that led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. 

He was among 11 PKR lawmakers who defected during the coup to join what eventually became the Perikatan Nasional coalition. 

Ironically, Azmin had campaigned alongside PH leaders and supporters for the 2018 general election, which saw the coalition taking over Putrajaya. 

Fellow PKR leader Zuraida Kamarudin was among the defectors in 2020, but has since moved on and been made Parti Bangsa Malaysia de facto leader.

After Zuraida’s defection from Bersatu, speculation had been swirling about Azmin’s own escape plan from Bersatu, with as many rumours surfacing over where he would end up. 

Yesterday, Azmin doubled down on his commitment and loyalty towards Bersatu when he applauded the party for its stand in embracing the country’s multi-racial community, citing a recent amendment to its constitution to accept non-Malay associate members.

He claimed that the ideals and principles of Bersatu also resonated with his own political identity and ideals. – The Vibes, June 18, 2022