Star Online said Azmin’s Political Secretary Shuhaimi Shafiei claimed this latest accusation against the PKR deputy president could have arisen to distract attention from the recent leakage of a controversial letter from PKR adviser Anwar Ibrahim to the party’s top leaders.
He said there was anger against a particular leader, who handled party administrative work, for allegedly leaking this letter that warned PKR leaders from cooperating with former Premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the Citizens’ Declaration.
Shuhaimi said a storm had been created in the party over the letter.
“In order to divert the attention from the issues revolving around the disclosure of the letter, the leader is spreading false rumours about alleged corruption involving money and women in the state government,” he was quoted as saying.
“It is truly unacceptable for a senior leader to malign the state this way,” said Shuhaimi.
He said charges of corruption would dent the image of the state government and its civil servants.
PKR Secretary-General Rafizi Ramli had posted a message in a WhatsApp closed group that he had received complaints that women and money were being sought as bribes in dealings with the Selangor government.
The Pandan MP expressed regret that a private conversation he had in WhatsApp was taken out of context and presented to the public. “It could unnecessarily malign the Selangor Government.”
Rafizi stressed that as the executive director of the National Oversight & Whistleblowers (NOW) he received many complaints.
“I receive thousands of tip offs, complaints and information each year that cite misconduct or mismanagement of various public and private institutions. Only a small fraction of these tip-offs or complaints ever become public. Most do not pass the level of scrutiny required.”
Azmin, responding to these fresh allegations said: “While it is our declared policy to have a fully accountable and transparent government with a zero tolerance for corruption, we are at the same time duty-bound to protect the good name and reputation of our civil servants and executives from irresponsible and wild accusations.”
Singapore Straits Times reported that PKR has long been divided between those who support Anwar’s wife and party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and those who support her deputy, Azmin. It noted that Azmin is one of the strong PKR proponents of Mahathir’s “Save Malaysia” campaign.