Azmin shuts door on PKR return

Pursuant to the incident reported by Berita Harian, Azmin Ali, the secretary-general of Bersatu, has firmly stated that he will not return to his former party, PKR, despite the calls by its president, Anwar Ibrahim, for former leaders and activists to rejoin. Azmin was ousted from PKR in February 2020 following his participation in the Sheraton Move, an event which led to the departure of Bersatu from Pakatan Harapan and the subsequent downfall of the PH government.

Despite the recent challenges faced by Bersatu, Azmin remains confident in the party's potential, asserting that it will eventually find its place in the political landscape. The party has witnessed a surge of defections since the sacking of its deputy president, Hamzah Zainudin, in February, with Hamzah now heading Wawasan. Bersatu faced further setbacks early last month when PAS ended their political alliance with the party.

However, both Bersatu and PAS continue to be part of Perikatan Nasional, leading to the decision by Bersatu to contest the Negeri Sembilan polls under its own flag after PAS aligned with Barisan Nasional. During PKR's national congress earlier this month, Anwar Ibrahim encouraged the party's veterans to rejoin and continue their fight for reform.

The return of former PKR vice-presidents Tian Chua and Dr Xavier Jayakumar has sparked speculation that more former party leaders might follow their lead.