KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today reminded party members to pick leaders who were loyal to the party’s struggle at its upcoming polls and not those who had their own personal agendas.

Anwar said PKR members must remember that the party was formed because of the reformation agenda and to champion the people’s interests.

“If there are leaders who have changed and are no longer committed to the struggle, they have betrayed the party, don’t choose leaders like these,” he told about 1,000 supporters at the ‘Jelajah Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ke Wilayah Persekutuan’ programme here today.

Anwar also questioned the action of certain individuals in PKR who disputed his decision to contest in the Port Dickson by-election.

“When I made the decision to contest in PD (Port Dickson), (DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng supported me, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also supported it, also (Amanah president) Mohamad Sabu, but in PKR, ngok ngek ngok ngek (ding dong) ... why?

“I want to say, we had discussed with all those who could give their views, so this decision had been discussed,” he said. 

He also slammed certain individuals in the party who wanted him to sack certain other individuals as a condition for their support for him in the Port Dickson by-election.

“Some came to me to say that the party will be peaceful if I sack this or that person. If want my support in PD, sack this person. I told the person that if he did not want to support me in PD, I did not care,” he said to thunderous applause from the crowd.

Meanwhile, at an earlier function, Anwar said he will not take the by-election for granted, although given the fact that he is a well-known character, as naturally any candidate would not have 100 per cent support from voters for any constituency, and the same applied to Port Dickson.

“I will never do that, (be it) in politics, life and career, I do not take things for granted, you have to work hard, you have to meet the people and explain, naturally you don’t have  100 per cent support, but it is important that you realise that we are only offering ourselves as a candidate.

“Therefore to them you may be known and accepted elsewhere, but what is critical is the support from Port Dickson. There is no certainty. I have to work very hard,” he told reporters after attending the ‘Meet Anwar’ programme organised by Anwar Ibrahim Club, here.

Anwar said he would visit the constituency as soon as possible to meet the voters, even before nomination day.

On Umno’s Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz open support to campaign for him in the by-election, Anwar said he personally welcomed any support.

“But then when it comes to party platform that would be decided by the party. I am not arrogant to reject any offer of help, I am just a candidate,” he said.

Nazri was quoted as saying by a news portal that he believed this was what is best for Umno to pave its return to the government. — Bernama