A faction of Parti Rakyat Malaysia held an extraordinary general meeting in Port Klang yesterday to elect a new leadership, headed by former party president Rohana Ariffin.
According to Rohana, a rift in the party began when its president Ariffin Salimon passed away in December 2023.
“The rift occurred because deputy president Ezam Mohd Nor was bypassed after Ariffin’s death and vice-president Ahmad Jufliz Faizal was appointed instead.
“Yesterday, we held a special congress at Port Klang, at which I was voted in as president, Ezam was retained as deputy president, RN Raj was named secretary-general, and the three vice-presidents are now (former Kapar MP) S Manickavasagam, Tan Chu Kang, and Sarah Afiqah Zainol Ariff,” Rohana told Malaysiakini.
She claimed that the Registrar of Societies has not decided which faction is currently legitimate but that the proposal to hold a special congress was decided by the party’s central committee on Jan 28, 2024.
PRM was originally formed in 1955 and gained prominence as part of the Socialist Front coalition with the Labour Party of Malaysia. However, it was decimated by repeated ISA detentions in the 1960s and 1970s, eventually merging with Parti Keadilan Nasional in 2002 to form today’s PKR.
Rohana (above) was part of a group of dissidents who opposed the merger and revived the party through a legal challenge. After current Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim returned to PKR, Rohana served as party president from 2010 to 2015.
In recent years, the party became home to former Dewan Negara member Ezam, former DAP assemblyperson Janice Lee, and ex-Kapar MP S Manikavasagam. It fielded 16 candidates in the 2022 general election but all lost their deposits.
“PRM is still a progressive, leftist party. In the near future, we shall be linking up and trying to work together with political parties like PSM and also will be seeking cooperation with Muda, Bersih, and Anak Bangsa Malaysia.
“We will also begin sekolah rakyat sessions to educate new and young members about the history and struggle of PRM.
“We will also push for local council elections and proportional representation,” said Rohana.
Malaysiakini is seeking a response from the rival faction, which includes Jufliz and longtime secretary-general Koh Swee Yong. - Mkini
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