KUALA KANGSAR — Malaysia's People's Justice Party (PKR) president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he was patient — but not with those who sullied the party.

He said his duty as party president was to build up PKR and protect its image.

“Some said that my level of patience is equal to God’s. Yes, I’m a patient man, but don’t test my patience.

“I am patient because I believe everyone has the right to give their views, but I won’t be patient if the views are showing that the party is weak and divided,” he said in his speech at the Perak PKR convention held at the Dewan Jubli here last night.

Mr Anwar also urged all PKR leaders not to speak negatively about the party in public.

The Port Dickson MP then insisted that the party was not as divided as recent news suggests.

“I want everyone to know that in today’s convention, all the state division leaders were present, except for Datuk Abdul Yunus Jamhari, who had informed me earlier that his aunt is not well. We have almost about 90 per cent of attendance of the party members.

“This is proof that the party is strong and not divided,” he said, suggesting that media reports of rifts in PKR were just gossip.

Perak PKR is headed by Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, who is also Mr Anwar’s political secretary.

Mr Yunus, who is a Perak executive council member, previously pledged his support to PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who heads a rival faction in the party.

According to reports, Mr Azmin’s faction is planning an alternative congress in Kuala Lumpur to the official event in Melaka next week. This would further escalate the party's infighting as well as demonstrate his faction’s support levels.

Mr Anwar and Mr Azmin are estranged and their rivalry is thought to be worsening over a battle for the position of the prime minister.

Pakatan Harapan has presented Mr Anwar as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s successor to be the PM.

Yesterday, he reiterated his support for Dr Mahathir.

“I met him last Thursday and we had a long discussion. I have made a stand that I will support him as the leader.

“Let’s not complicate things. What we need to do now is to be united and not divided,” he said.

About 4,000 PKR party members and supporters attended the state party’s convention last night.

National leaders present included PKR vice president Datuk Dr Xavier Jayakumar and Dr Lee Boon Chye, as well as PKR information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin. MALAY MAIL