Boiling feud may scald PKR
PETALING JAYA: The sizzling battle between deputy presidential hopefuls Azmin Ali and Zaid Ibrahim could plunge the party into political oblivion.
Monash University's Prof James Chin warned that if the competition turned uglier, there would be little chance of reconciliation between the two camps after the election and that would spell a dark future for PKR.
He also noted that both leaders were crucial to rope in the votes.
“Azmin has stronger Malay support while Zaid is appealing to the non-Malays. PKR needs them and their supporters to make real impact in the next election,” he told FMT.
Azmin's latest campaign tactic of warning party members, during his speech at the Gombak division meeting last weekend, about a “new leader conspiring with the Umno media to destroy PKR” did not go down well with another observer.
Azmin had also slammed this “new leader” for openly questioning and mocking the party leadership.
While he did not mention names, it was obvious that he was referring to Zaid.
Centre of Policy Studies director Lim Teck Ghee defined the attack as an “escalation on Azmin's part to kill off Zaid.”
“I'm astonished that Azmin has descended to this level of personal and unnecessary attacks. This hitting-below-the-belt tactic may be indicative of a contender being driven to desperation.
“Unfortunately, it is also indicative of a party leadership in disarray and unable to rise above personal egos and individual considerations to close ranks on the more important battle,” he added.
While Lim was convinced that Azmin's attack would be dismissed as baseless by party members, Chin, however, felt otherwise.
He said many party members were still hesitant to trust Zaid.
“They see him as a free agent. So if Zaid doesn't counter attack or provide an explanation for these accusations, many members will believe what is being said by Azmin's team,” he added.
Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng disagreed that Azmin's speech was a low blow.
“This is a political contest and such incidents are bound to happen. It wasn't a personal attack like during the Hulu Selangor by-election where Zaid was accused of consuming alcohol and gambling. So I wouldn't call this hitting below the belt.
“Zaid should continue with his campaign and show that he is someone who can avoid the noise. He should focus on the issues that he has been talking about. That is more interesting and relevant,” he said.
'The fight is unproductive'
To political observer Wong Chin Huat, the real concern lied with the issue that were being fought over and not the fighting itself.
He called the direct elections “disappointing” due to the absence of real debates on policies, ideas and visions.
“Politicians will always fight. The problem is their fight is not productive. We have two contestants at the deputy level who haven't told us what they stand for and where they plan to take the party. All they are focusing on are their personalities,” he told FMT.
Universiti College Sedaya International's Ong Kian Ming said Azmin had managed to dent Zaid's reputation and credbility in PKR and Pakatan Rakyat.
He added that Zaid might have “shot himself in the foot” by conceding that he would lose to Azmin because of the “hidden hands” pulling the strings behind the latter.
As for Azmin, Ong said the PKR vice-president should have shared his visions for the party and country.
“He could have accepted the public debate challenge by Zaid on issues of substance, an area where Zaid holds the moral high ground given his speeches and books to the right crowd,” he added.
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