Wan Azizah's visit to Julau raised undesirable speculations: Zuraida

BANGKOK: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's recent visit to Julau, Sarawak has raised 'undesirable' speculations as the timing of the visit was inappropriate, said women chief Zuraida Kamaruddin.
According to Zuraida, she was made to understand that the visit to Julau was in Dr Wan Azizah's capacity as the deputy prime minister but the move had raised various concerns.
"This is because there are controversies in the division with regards to the PKR election.
"I leave it to her wisdom for having chosen that controversial location (Julau). Perhaps it was the poor timing that has led to the speculations," she told Bernama here.
Zuraida, who is also Housing and Local Government Minister is in Bangkok to attend the Second International Conference of Nation Building organised by Nation Building Institute (NBI), Thailand.
The Julau PKR division had been enveloped in controversies following a sharp increase in membership numbers which rose from about 600 to 13,000.
Recently central leadership committee member Latheefa Koya questioned Dr Wan Azizah's visit to Julau on Tuesday as it happened close to the party's final voting process in Sarawak.
In response, the PKR president denied that her visit to Julau was to campaign but emphasised that it was made in her capacity as the deputy prime minister.
Meanwhile, Zuraida said she would propose that a similar NBI be established in Malaysia. — Bernama