Permatang Pauh PKR division chief Amir Ghazali said this was because PKR was still nursing its wounds from Dr Mahathir’s “assault” on Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters in the late 1990s.

“Those who were in the Reformasi group back in the day are already past 40 and are very aware of Dr Mahathir’s political silat (martial arts).

“We are also very well aware of Mahathir’s cruel and no-mercy attitude towards his political enemies,” he said in a statement today.

Amir said although Anwar had forgiven Mahathir, the latter was very much the architect behind the “1998 Gestapo” which led to the ouster and imprisonment of Anwar.

“Despite that, there is not an ounce of guilt by Mahathir to say sorry openly to Anwar.”

Amir also pledged to honour the Permatang Pauh Declaration (that champions democracy, economic justice and eradication of poverty or graft) and vowed to maintain Mahathir as “unfit” to be the leader of the people.

In a three-point stand, Amir said Permatang Pauh PKR vowed to:

# denounce hurtful statements by Mahathir towards Anwar and deem Mahathir as unfit to be the people’s leader;

# bolster spirits of the party members by putting the Permatang Pauh Declaration as its supreme foundation in all things that they do;

# close ranks between members and the leadership to reform and save Malaysia.

Earlier this month, Dr Azizah publicly announced that there was no need for her to join the Save Malaysia coalition led by Mahathir.

Azizah’s husband, Anwar, was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister by Mahathir in 1998.