A fake press statement was circulated at Selangor PKR’s press conference on the state’s menteri besar issue today, even as state PKR leaders were still speaking on the podium at the front of the room.

In the press conference led by Selangor PKR deputy chief Zuraida Kamaruddin, she said Selangor PKR stands by the party central leadership’s decision to back party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the state’s menteri besar.

However, the fake press statement purporting to be from Selangor PKR says that PKR deputy president Azmin Ali should be considered for the post.

The discrepancy was first noticed at the end of the press conference, when photographers moved forward to ask the PKR leaders to pose for a group photograph and jostled to get into position.

The reporters behind the photographers shouted, “This press statement is different (from what you’ve said)!”

Another shouted, “Do the press conference again!” and confusion ensued for about a minute until a copy of the fake press statement was passed to the podium.

“I don’t know, this did not come from us,” Zuraida (left) said, while Kapar MP G Manivannan later told reporters that it may have been an attempt to sabotage the press conference.

Original press statement retracted

Earlier, prior to the start of the press conference, the original press statement had already been distributed, but then retracted.

Manivannan explained that he ordered the original statement to be retracted because the norm is to distribute written press statements after an oral statement has been given.

The fake press statement was distributed in the crowded press conference room at the PKR headquarters by an unidentified man wearing a PKR T-shirt, near the end of the press conference.

It claims that while PKR Selangor respects the views of other PKR leaders who support Wan Azizah, Azmin should be considered as the next menteri besar to replace the incumbent Khalid Abdul Ibrahim, and talks up Azmin’s credentials.

“We need a leader who is more decisive, experienced in administration and running a government, trustworthy in handling the economy, and has the strength and fighting spirit to face Umno and BN,” the fake statement said.

In contrast, the original press statement by Zuraida reads, “Although several Selangor leaders did propose nominating the deputy president of PKR and Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyperson, Azmin, as menteri besar of Selangor, nevertheless we will abide by the central leadership committee’s unanimous decision to nominate Wan Azizah as candidate for Selangor menteri besar.”

She also urged the party to close ranks and support Wan Azizah, and supported the PKR disciplinary committee’s move to issue Khalid a show-cause letter.

Zuraida said the press statement released today is the result of a series of meetings and phone calls between Selangor PKR leaders.

Her press statement included a list of PKR division chiefs, MPs, parliamentary coordinators, and assemblypersons who endorsed the statement, some of whom such as Selanyang MP William Leong and Seri Andalas assemblyperson Xavier Jeyakumar were present.

Conspicuously missing from the list however, is Azmin himself, as well as Khalid.

When asked, Zuraida explained that it was because Azmin is still contesting to defend his party deputy presidency until Aug 10.

“We also want to give him the prerogative as the deputy president and the Selangor PKR chief to give his own statement,” she added.

Also absent from the list are the Kelana Jaya and Puchong branch chiefs, which Zuraida said are still undergoing its re-election process.

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