The heated contest expected for the PKR deputy presidency will not split the party if the campaign is done in a healthy manner, party vice president Azmin Ali says.

"I disagree that the contest will split the party because we will be conducting elections in a healthy atmosphere, and with a family spirit throughout the campaign and even during polling.

azmin ali pc in parliament 020709 02 "We have taken a bold step in giving party members the power and mandate to choose... this is not the first time we have having party elections," he said.

Azmin ( left ) said this during a press conference in Kota Kinabalu to announce his candidacy for the party deputy presidency, which is expected to be hotly contested between him and Zaid Ibrahim.

Zaid was first to announce his candidacy, and he has been complaining about certain quarters out to undermine his campaign through unethical means.

Among others, Zaid claims that he is the victim of a vicious smear campaign which could result in him being thwarted from contesting, just like Ghafar Baba for the No 2 post in the 1993 Umno party elections.

Since then, some observers have drawn parallels between the eventual Azmin-Zaid fight to traditional style of Umno campaigns and some party leaders hope that there will be a no-contest for the deputy presidency to avoid a bloodbath that could split the party.

'Everyone' is on my team

Azmin today refused to comment on Zaid's implicit claims that the former was behind the use of dirty tactics in the campaign.

"I don't want to make any references based on any personality," Azmin said flatly.

Instead, he said that campaign for the party polls should be based on the party's struggle for change and preparation for the 13th general election.

"There must be no ‘money politics'. We want a fair campaign," he added.

On members of his team, Azmin said that "everyone" was his teammate.

"No one is excluded because this is a pemilihan yang adil (fair election). The question of ‘this team' or ‘that team' does not arise," he added.

PKR's 218 divisions will hold two separate meetings - the first to elect divisional leaders beginning this weekend, and a second meeting to vote for 26 supreme council members as well as president, deputy president and four vice-presidents.

The divisions will vote for top national leaders over four weekends from Oct 29 to Nov 21.