Nurul Izzah, Rafizi must take bold steps to rejuvenate PKR - MP

With PKR president Anwar Ibrahim at the country's helm as prime minister, PKR veteran Hassan Abdul Karim said the party's other top leaders should take bold steps towards its rejuvenation.

To start with, Hassan suggested Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah, as PKR vice-president, take charge of efforts to reclaim the party's election losses, including her previous Permatang Pauh seat.

"If Nurul Izzah (above, right) who possesses charismatic leadership like Benazir Bhutto and Megawati Sukarnoputri can succeed with the mission, with her prime minister material, without doubt, she can come back as a highly promising future leader from PKR," the Pasir Gudang MP said yesterday.

Reflecting on the result of the 15th general election when PKR reduced its representatives from 49 to 31 MPs, Hassan said party deputy president Rafizi Ramli and its vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad should move from their safe seats and return to their home states.

As an example, Hassan cited former Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub, who as then PAS Youth chief in 2008 won in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, but subsequently moved to his home state of Johor and contested in Pulai in 2013.

Salahuddin lost to Umno Pulai chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed as the incumbent but won in his second bid for the seat in 2018 and again during GE15.

Taking the risk

Hassan pointed out that Pakatan Harapan through Johor Amanah vice-chief Suhaizan Kaiat defended Pulai in the by-election called last September after Salahuddin’s death.

“So the moral of the story is that Rafizi must be bold to take up the challenge and risk returning to contest in Terengganu, his home state.

“It must be remembered that Parti Keadilan (PKR’s predecessor) had won the Kemaman seat during the 1999 election.

“Similarly, Nik Nazmi too must be brave to accept the challenge and take the risk to return to his home state in Kelantan, lead the election battle with a realisation that in 1999, Parti Keadilan won three seats - Kota Bharu, Ketereh and Tanah Merah,” he said.

PKR’s Hassan Abdul Karim

Hassan then cited PKR’s poor performance across almost all states aside from Johor and Negeri Sembilan, losing seats even in its Selangor stronghold.

Without an effective strategy to face GE16 in four years, he said PKR risks losing another half of its seats, including Anwar's Tambun seat.

“At the time, will other political parties still be willing to choose Anwar as prime minister for the second term?” he asked.

Anwar was named prime minister after GE15 through Harapan’s alliances with BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Warisan. - Mkini