KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 -- PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin admitted today to factionalism within her party and said it was up to president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to bring the rival groups together.

A brewing sex scandal has led to public bickering between senior party leaders that effectively confirmed previous suspicions that the largest ruling party is divided into factions.

Twenty-three PKR central committee members and four of the party's federal lawmakers issued a rare public rebuke of Anwar this morning for suggesting his deputy, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, should resign if sex videos implicating the latter are genuine.

"Yes, there is," the PKR vice president said when asked if there was a rift within her party.

"Of course, the ...