Hassan Karim quits as Johor PKR chief, source denies linked to Anwar-Azmin rift

Hassan Karim has resigned as Johor PKR chief, eight months after rejecting the post and later reversing his decision.

According to a source, the Pasir Gudang MP submitted his resignation letter last week.

However, the source told Malaysiakini that Hassan's decision to relinquish his post was not related to the rift between PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and his deputy Azmin Ali.

“The resignation letter was sent to Anwar on July 12 but it is not related to the ongoing conflict within PKR,” added the source, who declined to elaborate.

Hassan was also not present at the meeting between PKR state chiefs at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya this morning.

Following the meeting, six of the state chiefs expressed unwavering support for Anwar, with more expected to ink the pledge.

This comes in the wake of a sex video implicating Azmin, which is speculated to be related to the tussle over the prime minister's post.

Speculation has been rife that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad prefers Azmin to be his successor despite an agreement within Pakatan Harapan earlier that Anwar would inherit the reins.

Last December, Hassan had turned down his appointment as Johor PKR chief in the wake of Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah resigning as PKR vice-president and Penang state chairperson.

Hassan said he believed that PKR must amend its constitution in relation to the election of state chairpersons.

He said his appointment as the Johor PKR chairperson has been disputed and it is only appropriate that he steps down.

At the time, Latheefa Koya, who was then a PKR member, criticised the state chief appointments, including Hassan's, as reeking of “cronyism” and failing to reflect the views of the majority of division chiefs.

Latheefa, who has always been regarded as aligned to Azmin, was later named by Mahathir as the MACC chief commissioner. - Mkini