ALOR STAR: Kedah PKR has played down the dissent within the party over Pakatan Harapan's move to nominate Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its candidate for prime minister.
State PKR chairman Dr Azman Ismail claimed that those who object to the former premier's candidacy failed to understand what is happening.
The Kuala Kedah member of Parliament acknowledged that the state PKR has received mixed reactions over the announcement but claimed that many have agreed when they were properly briefed on the move.
Azman also denied claims that PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is being sidelined as the pact's prime minister material.
"Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is still the prime minister candidate for Pakatan Harapan and this has been clearly stated in a pledge signed by Dr Mahathir and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail," he said when contacted.
Azman claimed that the objection against Dr Mahathir's candidacy was only voiced by a minority group in the party because they have not obtained the clearer picture.
"I am confident that once the party leadership goes down to the ground to explain the move, they would eventually agree to it," he said.
Asked whether DAP had agreed to Dr Mahathir's candidacy, Azman claimed that DAP was among the first parties which had agreed to the move.
Azman also played down resentment among PKR insiders over parliamentary seat allocations, where PKR is seen to be sacrificing its seats for PPBM despite being the latter being the youngest party in the pact.
He said the issue did not arise.
He claimed that the seat allocations was for the Peninsular only and had yet to include seats that PKR are contesting in Sabah and Sarawak.
Azman claimed that PKR will have the biggest share of seats after adding in the seats in Sabah and Sarawak.
Yesterday, Selangor PKR issued a statement describing Dr Mahathir's candidacy as "very awkward" as it was tantamount to admitting that the party could not come up with its own leader for the premier's post after decades of political struggle.
Translated from Berita Harian