Departure Of PKR Members Aligned To Azmin Expected, Says Analyst

(FMT) – The exodus of PKR members, including MPs, assemblymen and councillors, in the past few months has not been surprising, an analyst said.

Universiti Malaya’s Awang Azman Pawi said all of the party members that have left the party were known to be aligned to former deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali.

He told FMT they were simply following in their leader’s footsteps, adding that their departures were “always coming” and probably planned beforehand.

“There are still a few more waiting for the right time to leave.

“This is a form of cleansing in PKR which will be able to strengthen the party’s grassroots and open up opportunities for loyal, talented and capable members to be more active in filling the gaps,” he said.

Awang Azman said the resignations would not affect the confidence of the other Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties in PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, particularly with discussions yet to be concluded on the coalition’s candidate for prime minister.

“The PH component parties surely know there are leaders who will try to sabotage or discredit Anwar for their own interests,” he said.

Azmi Hassan of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia disagreed, however, saying the mass departures of party members would not only dampen Anwar’s chances of wresting the federal government from Perikatan Nasional (PN).

“More importantly, there will be questions about his capability in controlling PKR, let alone in governing the nation,” he told FMT.

Azmi said the situation faced by Anwar was similar to that faced by PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin, with the exception that Muhyiddin was currently heading the federal government.

“The exit will not end there as others in PKR will follow suit in being friendlier towards the PN government,” he said.

Commenting on the exit of PKR deputy Wanita chief and Selangor deputy speaker Dr Daroyah Alwi from the party, Awang Azman said this was considered small and would have minimal impact.

He said Selangor was a PKR stronghold and the state government was stable compared to the Kedah government, then under Mukhriz Mahathir, which collapsed after two assemblymen left PKR.

Daroyah’s resignation was the latest in a spate of exits from PKR. Jugah Muyang, the Lubok Antu MP and a former party vice-president, also quit last week and threw his support behind the PN government.

PKR women’s wing chief Haniza Talha is still suspended from the party for allegedly meeting Azmin and former vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin at a hotel in Damansara on Feb 24.

Azmin and Zuraida were sacked following their involvement in the so-called “Sheraton move” which saw the collapse of the PH government and the emergence of the PN administration.