Theres a structured campaign to create perception of a weak PKR after Sheraton Move - Anwar

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has claimed that there is an organized move to create the perception that the party is on the verge of destruction after the ’Sheraton Move’ and the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government.

He said the move was trying to show that more and more party members were leaving the platform on the grounds of losing trust in its senior leaders and so on.

However, the Port Dickson Member of Parliament stressed that the report from the branch level and the State Leadership Council that he received, clearly showed that the perception was completely unfounded.

"If not, we see every day there is only negative news. There is an organized campaign coming out. (What has been reported) the number of party members who left has reached 1 million.

"Every week, there is an announcement that 20 left but it becomes 2,000. There is a branch in Kelantan with 4,000 members but 8,000 were said to have left. They (must have) brought along their chickens, ducks and their homes.

"But this is just to give a perception that we are in a state of trouble. But I am grateful in the current situation, for example there is a branch head whose deputy left. But the strength of the branch is not affected at all," he added.

Anwar, who is also the chairman of Pakatan Harapan said this while officiating the Keadilan Information Convention in the capital, today.

He said based on the reports received, the group of individuals who left the party had not actively participated in the party-organized program for a long time and were just waiting for the right time to announce their action to leave the party to the media.

For that reason, Anwar said, the information program such as the convention is the best platform to explain to the grassroots and the people that PKR is still intact and does not run away from the reform agenda fought since its inception.

In the meantime, he said PKR should continue to adhere to their main goal which is to ensure justice for all regardless of race, ethnicity and religion.

"In Keadilan, we reject narrow racism, and (we explain) this is the message of Islam.

"So, Hindus, or Buddhists, or Christians who have prejudices will see, do not learn Islam from bin Laden or the Taliban.

"This is a question that I emphasize more than usual because this will be our problem later. Because in the village there are Muslims, Malays but their understanding is that (Malaysia) is still a Malay-Muslim country.

"It is true that this is a federation of Malay states. But how to put all citizens to have the same and legitimate rights.

"And what is more important to me is the program that guarantees their lives," he added.