A PKR MP believes his party president, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, can reclaim Permatang Pauh if he chooses to return to the parliamentary seat.
Pasir Gudang lawmaker Hassan Abdul Karim argued that Anwar’s candidacy in the constituency on the Penang mainland would also boost party morale in the northern states for the 16th general election.
Speaking on Malaysiakini’s “Explain Sikit” podcast, Hassan also acknowledged that Permatang Pauh is no longer considered a completely safe seat following the rise of the PAS “green wave” and Perikatan Nasional’s strong performance in the north.
Even though Anwar’s daughter Nurul Izzah lost the seat, and all three state constituencies under the parliamentary constituency also fell to PN, Hassan nevertheless described Anwar as a “fighter”, pointing to his victory in Tambun during the 15th general election despite the Perak seat being widely regarded as difficult territory.
“But when he contested there, it means he had done his calculations and felt he could win, and in the end, he did win, although the majority was about 4,000, I think.
“That 4,000 is not small; it is quite significant. So if Anwar wants to defend Permatang Pauh, he is a fighter. If he is willing to be there, it also means the people of Permatang Pauh have a responsibility.
“Meaning, whether to support Anwar or end his political career there,” Hassan said.
In GE15, Anwar (49,625 votes) won Tambun in a four-cornered battle, with a 3,736-vote majority against the incumbent Ahmad Faizal Azumu (45,889) from PN, Aminuddin Hanafiah (28,140) from BN, and Abdul Rahim Tahir (1,115) from Pejuang.
Hassan added that Anwar has a strong morale-boosting effect depending on which state he chooses to contest in.
“If Anwar contests there (Permatang Pauh), it would boost morale for PKR in the northern region, especially in Kedah and Penang. Just like when he entered Tambun before, it helped Pakatan Harapan in Perak,” he added.
He also labelled Permatang Pauh as a “very sentimental seat”, adding that Nurul Izzah should also consider contesting the seat again, and not let her initial defeat weigh her down.
“From my perspective, Permatang Pauh is a very sentimental seat. I don’t think Anwar would simply leave it like that. Ideally, Nurul Izzah should contest there and take on the challenge. She has won there before and has only lost once.
“So the situation in Permatang Pauh could change from a marginal seat to, God willing, a winnable one if Anwar, as prime minister, enters the contest. That place is also where he first contested in 1982 under Umno-BN, so it is not unfamiliar to him,” Hassan added.
Tough road ahead
On Tuesday, Malaysiakini published a report based on an internal PKR seat projection analysis. The document, titled “GE16 Strategic Analysis: Tier-Based Summary”, shows that PKR is on the defensive, with its hold on key seats steadily weakening.
Based on the analysis presented at the Bandar Utama 11 Community Hall in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on May 2, which was attended by nearly 900 party leaders nationwide, 66 parliamentary seats have been identified as PKR’s main focus in the upcoming election.
These seats were categorised into four tiers to map the party’s strengths and risks ahead of GE16: seven in Tier 1 (strong/safe), 13 in Tier 2A (leaning strong), 17 in Tier 2B (marginal/competitive), and 29 in Tier 3 (difficult/recovery).
This shows that the majority of the studied seats - 46 in total (Tier 2B and Tier 3) - fall into high-risk zones or require significant image recovery.
For context, in GE15 (2022), PKR won 31 out of the 81 parliamentary seats it contested - a drop from GE14 (2018), where it secured 47 seats.
Among the seats won in GE15, several have now been placed in the Tier 2B (marginal) category, including Tambun, which Anwar holds.
Perhaps the most significant point for reform supporters is the continued classification of Permatang Pauh in Tier 2B.
The seat, long regarded as a stronghold of Anwar’s family, was lost to a PAS candidate in GE15, a political setback that still weighs heavily on PKR.
The party is also targeting the 29 seats it lost in the previous general election.
Among them are Kuantan, which secretary-general Fuziah Salleh contested in, Kulim-Bandar Baharu - contested previously by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Indera Mahkota - where Anwar’s political secretary Ahmad Farhan Fauzi has been named a prospective candidate. - Mkini
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