Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has been accused of attempting to sow discord between Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional within the unity government.
Wanita PKR leader Farahida Fauzi stated today that the intentions behind Khairy’s recent criticisms of PKR were dubious.
She argued that his remarks provided an opening for critics to exploit the political relationship between the two main coalitions.
Farahida noted that the narratives presented appeared designed to pit Pakatan Harapan against Barisan Nasional.
She stressed that such comments are unhelpful at a time when the political landscape requires stability and mature cooperation.
Claims of internal rifts dismissed
The friction follows comments made by Khairy, who recently rejoined Umno after a three-year absence. Speaking at the party’s 80th anniversary gathering on Saturday, he suggested that Umno currently stands in a stronger position than Bersatu or PKR.
He specifically pointed to what he described as obvious internal conflicts within those parties.
Khairy highlighted the alleged tensions between PKR president and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his deputy, Rafizi Ramli, as well as similar leadership friction in Bersatu.
Furthermore, Khairy claimed that public dissatisfaction with the administration has mostly targeted non-Umno ministers.
He asserted that Umno’s representatives in the cabinet have performed their duties effectively and remained clear of major scandals.
Questioning the outsider’s perspective
Farahida responded by questioning Khairy’s authority to speak on the internal strength of Umno or its partners.
She pointed out that he had been away from the party for a significant period.
She remarked that Khairy’s assessment was based on observations made from over the fence. According to Farahida, his statements represent a personal interpretation rather than an accurate reflection of the current political reality.
She added that Khairy cannot be considered a representative of Umno’s official position.
She argued that the views of an individual who has been outside the party’s organisational structure for years cannot serve as a reliable yardstick for the strength of any political entity.
Resilience of party dynamics
Addressing the alleged rift within PKR, Farahida dismissed the claims as nothing more than recycled rhetoric. She maintained that differences of opinion within the party do not signal weakness.
Instead, she argued that such debates reflect a living and functional party dynamic. What distinguishes PKR, she said, is the ability to manage these internal differences with maturity.
Farahida concluded that the party continues to demonstrate this resilience, contrary to the picture of instability painted by Khairy.
