Anwar symbolic, but PKR not short of capable leaders, Rafizi told

 

Two PKR leaders have poured cold water on Rafizi Ramli's prediction that the party would not survive past the Anwar Ibrahim era.

According to PKR Women's vice-chief Loh Ker Chean and Puchong PKR division chief Zaihasri Jaafar, while the party has long been synonymous with Anwar and his political struggle, it has nurtured many capable leaders who can carry its agenda forward.

"Developing leaders does not only happen during elections, but rather, a continuous process. Even Rafizi himself is a product of PKR.

"The very fact that many political figures who were nurtured and developed by PKR continue to play important roles in the country's political landscape demonstrates that the party has consistently served as a platform for cultivating talent and leadership," she said in a statement.

Loh stressed that she is confident that PKR will continue to be relevant for the values that it fights for, instead of depending on any individual.

PKR Women's vice-chief Loh Ker Chean

Similarly, Zaihasri said it was inaccurate for Rafizi to describe the party as if it had failed to train the next generation of leaders.

He pointed out that PKR has gone through several generations of leadership since the party's inception in 1999, with many of its figures having become lawmakers and members of federal and state administrations.

"We must recognise that no leader lasts forever. Yet history has shown that movements built on enduring values will always find new leaders to continue the cause.

"PKR was not born from the comfort of holding power, but from the courage of ordinary Malaysians demanding change. As long as that spirit endures, the party will continue to nurture new generations of leaders prepared to carry the torch of the reformasi movement," Zaihasri said.

Bersama de facto leader Rafizi Ramli

Last night, Rafizi, who is Parti Bersama Malaysia de facto leader, said he had predicted that PKR risks dying out after the Anwar era.

According to him, this was due to the party’s bureaucracy and its failure to reinvent itself. - Mkini