PORT DICKSON: With his presence highly anticipated, Economic Affairs Minister and PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has not been spotted at the party's retreat, here, tonight.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the absence of Mohamed Azmin is none of his business.
When asked on Mohamed Azmin's no show at the program held at the Lexis Hibiscus Hotel, here, Dr Mahathir smiled and said: "That's his business, not my business."
Mohamed Azmin's presence is very much anticipated at the program, which gathers the party's central leadership members in its first retreat since Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over the government a year ago.
This following the widening rift in the party following the sex video issue implicating Mohamed Azmin, which saw PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim making remarks that his deputy should resign from his Cabinet post should the sex clips turn out to be true.
The remark was followed by criticism from 28 fellow party leaders, who signed a joint statement labelling Anwar's statement as inappropriate and based on speculative assertions and urged him to stop making divisive statements.
When further asked on the statement made by Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador who had revealed that the sex video allegedly implicating a minister was the work of a group masterminded by “a leader of a political party”, Dr Mahathir refused to comment.
"No comment," he said.
Earlier, Dr Mahathir arrived at the programme at 8.45pm, accompanied by his deputy and PKR advisory council chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Anwar.
The presence of the PH chairman was also greeted with a cake and yellow glutinous rice in conjunction with his 94th birthday recently.
Also present tonight are PKR vice president Dr Xavier Jayakumar, PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Negri Sembilan PKR chairman Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.