'If there's no sabotage, Azizah is MB': Focus on PKR chief as royal decision looms

UPDATED SHAH ALAM - Selangor Mentri Besar candidate Dr Wan Azizah was undeniably the center of attention at her party's 10th annual congress.

The PKR president upstaged her famous spouse, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, as party members, guests along with the rest of the country focused on whether the Selangor Sultan would endorse her as the state's chief minister.

"PKR was born to fight for democracy and reforms during a tumultuous time and we are still living in a tumultuous time," Azizah told the congress held at the Shah Alam Malawati Stadium on Saturday.

Who says I can't do it?

In her speech, the 62-year-old Azizah hit back at critics who deemed her unsuitable for the MB posts.

"I understand the difficulties of leading, whether as the leader of a new party since it was set up 15 years ago, and also as the head of the family when Anwar was jailed for six years," The Malaysian Insider reported Azizah as saying.

She said she had been leading the multi-racial party since 1999 when Anwar was jailed on manifestly trumped-up sodomy charges, over which he was acquitted in 2004.

Good ties with other Pakatan leaders

The soft-spoken Azizah also cited her good ties with other opposition leaders, including DAP's Lim Kit Siang, the late PAS president Fadzil Mohd Noor, and former PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali, who headed Parti Rakyat Malaysia before its merger with Parti Keadilan Nasional to form PKR.

She said a person's qualification, earnestness, competency and integrity should be the main criteria for selecting leaders, whether at the party, state or national level.

"Gender, age and looks are just superficial excuses," the Kajang assemblywoman said.

Close ranks after divisive polls

Azizah also called on PKR members to forgive and forget, saying it was time for everyone to reflect on the reasons why they joined the multiracial party.

"Let us strenghten our brotherhood within the PKR family so that the party can continue to be accepted by the people as their party of choice to fight for justice, anti-corruption and graft," she said.

"We need to restore our good relationship among members and do away with any unhappiness that took place during the party polls."

Azizah also admitted that the recently-concluded party polls, described by some as the most divisive, had various weaknesses.

The PKR president promised to look into the complaints raised and address them.

Azizah's speech was well accepted by party members, who shouted their support and pride in her quest to take over as the Selangor MB.

Latheefa Koya, the PKR legal affairs director, was optimistic Azizah would get the royal endorsement required.

Latheefa also dismissed talk of nasty infighting as evidenced by Friday's walkout by several Youth members when Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi rose to give his speech as the new PKR Youth chief.

"PKR has a very open culture. Of course, there are factions and groups but they will get over it," Latheefa told Malaysia Chronicle on the sidelines of the Congress. - Malaysia Chronicle