End it now, Anwar tells duo

Two feuding PKR leaders in Penang were at the receiving end of a stern tongue-lashing from a furious Anwar Ibrahim at a private meeting on Saturday.

The party supremo has given the duo – Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin and executive councillor Abdul Malik Abul Kassim – an ultimatum to bury their hatchet.

Otherwise, the duo has been warned of drastic actions that would see both leaders packed off from the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s state cabinet.

Both incurred the wrath of the PKR leader as their bitter squabble was tearing apart state PKR and disrupting the smooth operations of Lim's government of late.

The dressing down took place in Anwar's hotel room after he had delivered a keynote address at the two-day international conference entitled 'The New Economic Vision for Penang and Malaysia' in Georgetown yesterday.

"The boss (Anwar) told them to set aside their differences and end their quarrel once and for all. Otherwise, he would not hesitate to replace them," said a Pakatan leader.

PKR has nine assemblypersons in Penang legislative assembly, including three in state executive council.

Penanti assemblyperson Mohammad Fairus (left) is charge of religious affairs, entrepreneurial and cooperative development, information and community relations, while Batu Maung's Abdul Malik is charge of domestic trade and consumer affairs.

Bukit Tambun elected representative Law Choo Kiang is the third PKR executive councillor in charge of agriculture and agro-based industry, rural development and flood mitigation portfolios.

Other PKR state assemblypersons are Jason Ong (Kebun Bunga), VS Raveenthran (Batu Uban), Sim Tze Tzin (Pantai Jerejak), Ong Chin Wen (Bukit Tengah), Maktar Shapee (Sungai Bakap) and Tan Hock Leong (Machang Bubok), who is also the assembly deputy speaker.

Abdul Malik Came Out Worse

It's learnt Abdul Malik came out worse from Anwar's 40-minute dressing down.

Anwar, the Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader, was particularly irked by the tacit character assassination campaign carried out aggressively in certain blog sites against Fairus since he was appointed as Lim's number two.

Sources said the PKR supremo's internal probe unearthed evidence that Abdul Malik (left) was the mastermind behind the internal plot to topple the 33-year-old Fairus.

"It is not difficult to identify the mastermind given that Abdul Malik is the most likely person to benefit directly from an imminent Fairus exit," said a state PKR leader.

Malaysiakini reported on Saturday that a PKR state leader, said to be driven by jealousy, hatched the plan to oust Fairus after he was appointed deputy chief minister.

Sources indicated that the PKR leader has engaged bloggers and even conspired with certain local Umno leaders to topple Fairus from the coveted position.

After Pakatan stormed to power on March 8 general election, Abdul Malik was widely speculated to be picked as Lim's deputy. But Anwar chose Fairus instead.

Since then, Fairus has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, with speculations were rife that Anwar was fed up with him and on the verge of removing him from the state’s No 2 post.

Fairus Often Late To Work

Anwar closed-door rebuke on Fairus’ alleged under performance and his frequent coming late to work, and at times absenteeism from functions without valid reasons, were widely reported in certain blogs.

Anwar was piqued that a PKR leader had conspired with certain Umno assemblypersons, such as Seberang Jaya's Arif Shah Omar Shah and Pulau Betong's Muhamad Farid Saad, to attack the embattled Fairus.

During last month's assembly sitting, Muhamad Farid has called on Fairus to step down, chiding him for incompetence, while Arif Shah recently created a furore after he said Anwar had offered the deputy chief minister’s post to lure him to PKR. This was however denied by Anwar.

Fairus too did not escape Anwar's fury. The deputy chief minister was warned to buck up to avert providing ammunition to his detractors.

When contacted, Fairus confirmed that Anwar had a private meeting with the duo, but declined to deliberate.

"The issue is closed. I'm sorry that there is no more news about me for the media to sensationalise," he told Malaysiakini with a broad smile.

Abdul Malik, on the other hand, declined comment on the subject.

"I don't know anything about Fairus issue," he quipped.