KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he was not surprised by the defection of two Kedah lawmakers party as they have shown signs of indiscipline.

“They have been throwing tantrums for a year already, a year!

“They don’t attend party meetings, do not cooperate with the party, do not attend the PKR state council meetings.

“I was present for meetings in Kedah, for example, where I called all the [party] state assemblymen and they still boycotted,’’ he said in a Facebook live session today.

The two assemblymen in question are Lunas assemblyman and state exco Azman Nasrudin as well as Sidam assemblyman Robert Ling Kui Ee, who on May 12 announced their exit from PKR and affirmed their support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Prior to the formation of the Perikatan National administration, speculation was rife of rising tensions between factions aligned to Anwar and his then-deputy, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali within PKR.

This peaked when Azmin led several PKR lawmakers to defect from the party, causing further schisms within the once-dominant party in parliament post GE14.

Today, Anwar said that he was criticised for not taking stern action against PKR party members who went against the party and Pakatan Harapan’s interests.

Anwar said party members can pledge their support to any party leaders they deem fit and even criticise leaders including himself, but added that he would not tolerate betrayal.

“So, I recommend that these people leave in a good manner. This is a democratic country, there is no need to fight, no need to be enemies,’’ said Anwar, adding that he did not take things personally.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/05/14/anwar-claims-kedah-pkr-defections-not-surprising/1866079