PKR information chief Muhammad Nor Manuty is leading a committee to investigate a report by party organ Suara Keadilan insinuating that PKR deputy president Azmin Ali is corrupt.

This followed media report that Azmin had initiated legal action over the article.

"He (Muhammad) has been tasked by the central leadership council to speak with Suara Keadilan to get the background on the issue,” said secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution ( right ) at a press conference this morning.

“If the committee finds the letter of demand by Azmin, it will report to the council and we will decide on the course of action."

He said he, himself, has not seen the purported letter of demand but said he understands that it pertains to a commentary by activist Hishamuddin Rais.

He was asked to comment on reports that Azmin had initiated legal action against the party mouthpiece.

However, PKR communciations director Fahmi Fadzil, who is part of the committee, later clarified that the committee's main ambit is to investigate the publication of the article itself, and not the suit.

On a separate matter, Saifuddin said that he has, in the past 72 hours, been in talks with Dungun PKR Youth chief Mohd Shamsul Mat Amin over his RM2 million lawsuit against PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

Saifuddin said that there are “positive” signs that Mohd Shamsul may be persuaded to retract his legal action.

He added that the party leadership had clearly stated its stand against the suit from the get-go but Mohd Shamsul had decided to go ahead with it to clear his name.

“The matter was raised by Terengganu PKR chairperson Azan Ismail soon after the 13th general election and we have advised against it, but at the time emotions were still running high,” he said.

He added that Mohd Shamsul ( left ) had indeed received endorsement from the party to contest the Bukit Besi seat but the party instructed him and two PKR candidates to withdraw after nomination day to give way to PAS, which also contested the seat.

The stand down directive resulted in Mohd Shamsul only garnering 52 votes to PAS' 4,408 votes, but BN won with 6,966 votes.

The defamation suit was in relation to a ceramah by Hadi during campaigning for the GE13 campaign where he accused some Pakatan Rakyat candidates of pushing drugs (pil kuda or methamphetamines).

Shamsul had sent a letter of demand to Hadi, demanding a public apology.

In his statement of claim, he said Hadi had caused him emotional and mental distress, and to be ridiculed in the public eye.

Kuala Terengganu High Court had handed down the judgment in default on Feb 17, in which Hadi was ordered to pay RM2 million in damages for defaming Shamsul.