Two of PKR's menteris besar will not be able to enjoy a walkover for their respective divisional level party election as they face formidable challengers for the positions.
Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari will be defending his Gombak PKR division chief post against Farhash Wafa Salvador who was a former aide to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.
Farhash is an outsider to Gombak PKR as his base used to be in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, where he was the elected PKR division head.
The challenger faces an uphill battle against Amirudin (above, left) who was elected Gombak PKR division chief with an overwhelming majority.
Amirudin also has stature. He is the incumbent Selangor PKR chairperson, a position appointed by Anwar.
On the other hand, Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun (above, right) will not be defending his position as Tampin PKR division chief because he will contest elsewhere.
Aminuddin will be challenging incumbent Port Dickson PKR division chief M Ravi. There are two other candidates as well.
The Port Dickson PKR leadership contest is shaping up to be a battle of two juggernauts.
Both candidates are three-term Negeri Sembilan assemblypersons.
High stakes
Ravi has held the Port Dickson PKR division chief post twice, although the terms were not consecutive. In the 2018 party election, he won the contest with a large four-figure majority.
Interestingly, Aminuddin and Ravi are the incumbent Negeri Sembilan PKR chief and deputy chief, respectively.
When contacted, professor and senior fellow at Nusantara Academy of Strategic Research Azmi Hassan opined that Amirudin and Aminuddin did not receive the customary walkovers for their party positions because they both had targets on their backs.
He said Amirudin was still regarded as a protégé of former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali - someone who is widely despised by the party faithful.
As for Aminuddin, Azmi noted that there was an unsuccessful attempt to oust him as menteri besar last year.
"Usually, a leader who holds the menteri besar position would be given the way to win a division chief post without a contest. This is the usual practice in PKR and other political parties.
"However, it is different in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, as the two leaders are facing several issues," he told Malaysiakini.
The position of a party division head, he said, was a game with high stakes as it may determine whether one can be fielded in an election or other positions.
PKR's leadership election will take place between May 13 and 18. Two PKR divisions - Julau and Selangau - did not see a single nomination for any of the available positions.
Other notable division chief contests
Batu - Batu MP P Prabakaran will be taking on his predecessor and long-time Batu PKR division chief Tian Chua.
Setiawangsa - Actor Afdlin Shauki Aksan, who is relatively new in the party, is challenging incumbent and Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Selayang - Former Rawang assemblyperson Gan Pei Nei is taking on Selayang MP William Leong, who is the incumbent division chief.
Pandan - Vice-president and incumbent division chief Rafizi Ramli is being challenged by two others.
Sungai Petani - The position of leader in this division is vacant. The three candidates are Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul, Bakar Arang assemblyperson Ooi Tze Min and Mohd Zaidi Othman. Johari and Ooi came in second during the 2018 election for the division chief and deputy chief posts, respectively.
Simpang Renggam - Former education minister Maszlee Malik is vying for the vacant top post. He will be facing the incumbent division secretary Faizul Abd Ghani. - Mkini
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