The PKR party election that is set to take place in April is expecting to see a three-cornered fight for the deputy president role, said party sources.
According to sources from the PKR leadership, the competition is heated between secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, vice-president Rafizi Ramli and Anwar Ibrahim's former political secretary, Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.
“Currently, three names are being touted for the deputy president post. Among them are Saifuddin, Rafizi and Farhash.
“Perhaps this number will increase seeing as the party election is set from April 22 to April 29. This election is important as it is being held after the Sheraton Move,” they told Malaysiakini.
The party polls in April are for the 2022 to 2025 leadership, while the National Congress is slated to take place on June 10 to 12.
Nominations for the party polls will be open from March 11 to 19 and PKR will hold online voting for the first time.
In early 2020, the then Pakatan Harapan government was overthrown in a political coup, now widely known as the Sheraton Move, when 11 PKR MPs led by then deputy president Azmin Ali defected from the party.
Saifuddin Nasution ‘choice of leadership’
The PKR source also said that Saifuddin was seen as the “choice of the top leadership” for the post of deputy president.
“He is the choice of the top leadership. This is based on the experience and loyalty he has to the party,” the source added.
When contacted, Saifuddin said no decisions have been made so far on the position of deputy president.
“There are suggestions from party members for me to consider running for deputy president.
“I will pay serious attention to the proposal,” he said.
The Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP added that he is instead focusing on the upcoming Johor state elections.
“Currently, I am concentrating full time on helping the party in the Johor state election.
"PKR’s victory and that of (other) Harapan components in the Johor polls are more important. I will only make a decision on the party election after the Johor state election,” he said.
The return of Rafizi?
Rafizi, who is currently inactive in politics, had previously told Malaysiakini that there were many considerations that needed to be taken into account before he was ready to return to the fray.
He said this after his supporters had urged him to become an active member once again.
“I haven’t decided, but I do pay attention to the public and the party who make pleas for me to reconsider.
“I will consider and consult my stakeholders, including God,” he said.
Among the considerations, he said, is that he has to ensure it is worth returning to politics as his party and its allies may not be receptive towards his “radical” approach and ideas.
Rafizi previously withdrew completely from politics at the end of 2019. He was an influential personality within PKR and was considered one of Anwar's most trusted advisers.
The former Pandan MP is also known for exposing several corruption scandals involving the previous BN government.
According to sources, although Rafizi has not made any announcement, his followers have gone down to the ground to find out the sentiments of PKR members.
“We will know his official stance in the coming weeks,” he said.
Anwar’s former aide
Like the other two leaders, Farhash also said that he has yet to make a decision on the post of deputy president.
“I have not yet decided to run for the central post.
"Many branch heads have asked me to contest. But, for now, my focus is on the branch," he said when contacted.
He said his priority is the Gombak branch-level party election.
"Gombak is a stronghold of traitors that caused the Harapan government to collapse and thus thwarted efforts to appoint Anwar as prime minister.
"Besides that, Gombak is an area that has very big challenges and needs maximum strength to clean the party from traitorous elements," he said.
However, his recent resignation as Anwar’s political secretary and Perak PKR chairperson was seen as preparation to contest for the deputy president post.
Apart from the three above, vice-president Chua Tian Chang and Kapar MP Abdullah Sani also emerged as potential contenders for the party's second-highest post. - Mkini
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