Heavy is the head that wears the crown

PKR leads the way for Pakatan, but who will lead it?

COMMENT

The dust has not yet settled from the handing down of a guilty verdict and five-year prison sentence on PKR kingpin Anwar Ibrahim. The influential statesman has fought hard for change, and led the charge that saw the largest opposition in the history of the Malaysian Parliament.

His rise was not without struggle, not without sacrifice, and not without pain, and now he has been condemned once again to languish in a prison cell, found guilty of the same crime that landed him in jail before although he was then eventually acquitted.

Even as Malaysians struggle to deal with this new political reality, all eyes remain fixed on Parti Keadilan Rakyat as it regroups from losing its leader once again. PKR was very much the linchpin upon which the opposition coalition was born, and must again lead the way to Putrajaya with or without Anwar, given that the DAP and PAS still do not see eye to eye.

For that, PKR must find a rallying point, someone to pull together the party machinery and to soothe relations among the three parties of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. It is highly likely that even now, the disparate factions within PKR are making their cases for assuming leadership of the party.

In general, two distinct factions exist in PKR, much like in PAS. One revolves around Azmin Ali, widely recognized as Anwar’s right hand man, the current Menteri Besar of Selangor. Azmin gained the office after the fracas that was last year’s MB crisis, which saw the alliance between PAS and the other coalition parties begin to fracture in a visible, alarming way. Interestingly enough, Azmin could prove to be the right fit for PAS, given that PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang wanted him to be the Menteri Besar.

However, Azmin is not without his political baggage, and in some circles is viewed with deep suspicion, especially by the opposing faction, led by Nurul Izzah and other young guns.

Izzah is potentially the most exciting candidate PKR can put forward. Young, dynamic, intelligent, and attractive, Anwar Ibrahim’s daughter has captivated the imagination of the youth of Malaysia and has gained the respect of her constituents with her tireless efforts for the people of Lembah Pantai.

Nurul as the head of PKR would change the game entirely, as she is an almost universally appealing candidate, although her detractors will doubtless point out her youth and recent divorce as proofs that she cannot lead the party. However, with the experience and wisdom of a few elders by her side, she could make for the biggest deal breaker in the next general election.

There is a possibility that Wan Azizah will take on the role of leader once more, even though she previously declared she was effectively retired as President of PKR. Speculation is out that she may contest for her husband’s now vacant seat in PKR’s traditional stronghold of Permatang Pauh, though she would face criticism from her current constituents of Kajang, who by now are convinced that the Kajang Move was a farce.

The next leader of PKR has big boots to fill, and whoever takes over will need to make his or her presence felt immediately to reassure not just the Pakatan coalition but also the voters. The legacy of Anwar Ibrahim will haunt every step the candidate makes, and he or she must be prepared to shoulder the burden of Anwar’s sacrifice to lead the opposition coalition into the next general election.

Heavy lies the head that wears the crown, and the crown left behind by Anwar is weighty indeed.