MELAKA – Delegates allied to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Azmin Ali will not attend the rest of the party’s youth wing congress on Friday evening (Dec 6), creating fresh divisions between supporters of Datuk Seri Azmin and those of party president Anwar Ibrahim after a truce was declared between the rival factions on Wednesday.

Deputy youth chief Hilman Idham told a press conference on Friday that 20 elected executive committee members arrived at the decision for safety reasons, after violent clashes marred the morning session.

“The headquarters have already requested voluntary police to provide security at the entrances. We are unsure why there is this squad, people who we don’t recognise, who can decide who is allowed to enter,” he said, referring to security personnel dressed in black who had prevented delegates from attending the morning meeting.

The members’ decision means they will not be present for the youth assembly’s closing by Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also Datuk Seri Anwar’s wife.

Mr Hilman, who is political secretary to Economic Affairs Minister Azmin, called the chaotic scenes earlier, including further clashes outside the venue which saw injuries requiring medical attention, “a planned act of sabotage and hijacking” of the youth wing assembly.

“Hundreds of legitimate delegates and observers were not allowed in. But it is mysterious how youths in black T-shirts can enter without having any accreditation tags,” Mr Hilman said.

Reporters have tried to ascertain the identity of these youths, numbering over a hundred, but without success. Many of them were clearly in their teens, and they had clashed with supporters of Mr Hilman who were dressed in light blue.

Some of them said they were asked to attend the event by an individual named “Mirul” for three days to support “Reformasi” (reform) and that they would be paid at the end of the congress.

Pro-Anwar youth chief Akmal Nasir, had earlier said he had no knowledge of who the group in black T-shirts were, but that the organising secretariat would find out.

Mr Hilman’s camp called on youth secretary Syukri Razab, appointed by Mr Akmal, to take full responsibility “over these incidents and explain how legitimate delegates and observers can be denied entry”.

They also demanded that the headquarters guarantee the safety of attendees in the final two days of the four-day national congress.

The clashes began when sacked chairman Mizan Adly Noor tried to enter the congress to begin proceedings.

Mr Hilman claimed that when president Anwar and his deputy Azmin met on Wednesday, it was agreed that Mr Mizan would begin proceedings and then resign to allow a new chairman to be elected as the rules require that a congress be called into session by a chairman.

Instead, a representative from the central leadership, information chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin, conducted an election for a new chair.

Mr Hilman said that Mr Akmal and communications director Fahmi Fadzil had insisted Mr Mizan had no right to be part of proceedings as he held no position and was too old to be a youth member, even though they had both attended the peace talks and were aware of the decision reached by Mr Anwar and Mr Azmin on Wednesday.

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