Anwar Ibrahim the Pakatan Harapan DeFacto Leader announced as New PKR President

THE STAR

Anwar announced as new PKR president


Monday, 6 Aug 2018

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) has been officially crowned as PKR president after he won uncontested in the party polls, a symbolic moment since the party was formed nearly 20 years ago.

Anwar replaces his wife, the previous PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who had held the position since the party was founded in 1999.


Anwar had only been the PKR de facto leader since then.


The announcement was made by PKR party election committee secretary Ismail Yusof after nominations for party polls were closed at 5pm.


“For the presidency position, only one nomination was received from Anwar,” he told reporters yesterday at PKR’s headquarters.



Ismail said the candidate list will be finalised after it has been displayed for six days from Aug 8.

This is to allow for objections against any of the candidates.

On June 22, PKR secretary-gene­ral Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Dr Wan Azizah will still remain as the Deputy Prime Minister, regardless of the outcome of the PKR polls.

Saifuddin said this was according to a consensus reached by Pakatan Harapan in its National Convention on Jan 6 that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would be Prime Minister, Dr Wan Azizah the Deputy Prime Minister, and that Anwar would assume the Prime Minister’s position later.

The PKR party polls, which will see more than 900,000 members casting their votes, will begin in September over the course of nine weeks

Azmin and Rafizi to lock horns

PETALING JAYA: The spotlight is now on the fight for the PKR deputy president’s post as two formidable figures offer themselves as candidates.

Datuk Seri Azmin Ali will defend his position as deputy president against vice-president Rafizi Ramli.


Azmin’s nomination paper was filed at about 4.45pm on Sunday at the party’s headquarters, 15 minutes before nominations closed at 5pm.

His proposer was his political secretary Muhammad Hilman Idham and the nomination was supported by Selangor Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari.


“Azmin sends his regards to all party members as he is currently in Singapore for an official visit to discuss various issues relating to his portfolio as the Economic Affairs Minister.

“We hope that the selection will be made based on merit and the candidate’s contributions to the development of the party,” he told reporters during the event.

Despite repeated denials of the existence of any “camps” by the top party leaders, candidates aligned to either Azmin or Rafizi are contesting all positions right down to Youth chief.

Universiti Malaya’s Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said this will lead to a split of two camps within the party.








“Political camps are common in any parties. The fact is that party positions are limited and it requires the support of many members to win such posts.

“This will lead to a power struggle and subsequently the formation of a Rafizi and Azmin camp to increase their respective chances in winning,” he added.

For the first time in the party’s history, more than 10 candidates are vying for five vice-president positions.

The incumbent vice-presidents defending their posts are Nurul Izzah Anwar, Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin and Tian Chua.

Others contesting are Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Selayang MP William Leong, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul, Sungai Siput MP S Kesavan, Azan Ismail, Datuk Dr G. Balasubramaniam, K. Vasanthakumar and Michael Tamil.

Those said to be aligned with Rafizi’s camp include Kesavan, Leong and Johari.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Mi­­nis­ter’s Department Fuziah Sal­leh is contesting the Wanita PKR chief post with Batu Tiga assemblyman Dr Rodziah Ismail as her deputy.

They will be taking on Taman Medan assemblyman Haniza Moha­med Talha with Sementa assemb­lyman Dr Daroyah Alwi as her deputy.

There will be a three-cornered fight for the PKR Youth chief post between incumbent deputy AMK chief Dr Afif Bahardin, who openly supports Azmin, against Johor Baru MP Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir and Najwan Halimi.

There are 86 hopefuls for the central leadership council including Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, former Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusof and Amirudin.

They joined the list of contenders vying for 20 elected positions on PKR’s central leadership council.

The PKR party polls will see more than 900,000 members casting their votes which is set to begin in Septem­ber and run for nine weeks.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/08/06/azmin-and-rafizi-to-lock-horns-spotlight-on-rising-stars-as-they-vie-for-pkrs-deputy-president-post/#LgcZYUykPdusxxx9.99