Will Wong Chen abandoning PKR opens mini floodgate, hastens GE16 by end-2026?

 

SUCH are the two key questions lingering in the mind of political observers following the resignation of Wong Chen as Subang MP effective 5pm yesterday (Aug 10).

Apparently, the PKR lawmaker’s departure bears little surprise following his Aug 5 meet-up and “delivery of my letter” to Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul coupled with “I’ll release a press statement next Monday on the evening of Aug 10”.

“We had a gentleman’s agreement not to release any details until August 10 at 5pm,” penned the three-term lawmaker (one term Kelana Jaya MP and two terms as Subang MP) in a Facebook post yesterday (Aug 10).

“We shall also be removing the honorific title of Yang Berhormat (YB) from all our billboards, signages and correspondence by next month. I’ll be holding a press conference on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 11am”.

While the former PKR Investment and Trade Bureau chairman since 2011 has received a mix of heroic and villainous reaction from netizens over his latest decision, avid political commentator Prof James Chin has summed up Wong Chen’s move as “widely expected”.

“As one of key RR (former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli) supporters, they’ll be pushing for early PRU (Malay abbreviation for general election),” observed the inaugural Asia Institute Tasmania director on his FB page while tagging “#Malaysia #Bersama #Rafizi #PRU2026”.

More to follow suit

Former PKR Petra Jaya division chief Iswardy Morni hinted at “more resignations to come” in his one-liner X post with the two favourite names being Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung and his Ampang comrade Rodziah Ismail who is the latest to join the “Anak Tiri Peruntukan” (literally, “Funding Stepchild”) club.

Alongside Wong, the trio have been blocked from accessing MyKhas, the government online portal used to manage special constituency development allocations and Projek Mesra Rakyat funds.

The suspension – very much at the Prime Minister’s (PM) discretion according to Madani spokesman Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil – is widely believed to be tied to their attendance at the BERSAMA party launch on May 17 which featured co-leaders Rafizi and former PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Malaysian economist and researcher Sum Dek Joe recounted that before Rafizi, Nik Nazmi and Wong Chen, the last sitting government backbencher to resign voluntarily was Tan Sri Shahrir Samad in 1988 due to disagreements with the then premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the judicial crisis.

“People tend to not understand how rare it is for government backbenchers to resign voluntarily because being a government MP comes with resources, positions and power,” contended the specialist in macro-fiscal policy, public debt, and development economics.

“To those who asked why resign now, RR, NN and WC could have turned a blind eye and be rewarded with lucrative ministerial or GLC (government-linked company) positions. But is this the kind of MP you want? They are setting the bar high.”

Sinking ship

Former outspoken PKR grassroot member Afral Abdullah had in a recent social media post hit out at PMX Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who happens to be the PKR president and Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman for failing to take cognisance of the party’s fall from grace.

“Who’s the next PKR MP that Anwar and/or PKR will block (from accessing MyKhas)?” chided the now “happily with BERSAMA” member.

Having already suffered a crushing defeat in the Sabah, Johor and Negri Sembilan state elections, expected to suffer a crushing defeat in Melaka and Sarawak as well – and even predicted to be wiped out in GE16 – they still want to commit “atrocities” against their own party’s elected representatives?

If Anwar and/or PKR truly believe in consistency, I dare them to take the same action against all MPs who have sided with Rafizi.

Let the people, particularly the voters, make their own assessment and make their voices heard at the ballot box.”

Whatever said and done, Wong Chen will likely continue to serve his constituents till the end of the GE15 term although he will be sorely missed as the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on International Relations and International Trade (CIRT) chairman.

Tech & smartphone enthusiast Ts. Hisam Sumiry  (@HisamSumiry) summed up best the so-called internal turmoil within PKR which is bound to rub off on the ruling PH coalition which has already been shaken by the ummah unity Barisan Nasional (BN)-Perikatan Nasional (PN) force.

“I’ll never forget & I’ll never forgive  how PKR treated team HIRUK (Rafizi’s faction) last year and how they treat Sdr Wong Chen now,” asserted the cat and coffee lover.

“When you treat people with (not) kindness, life has a way of returning what you give. The day will come (when) people will treat PKR with the same treatment” – Aug 11, 2026

 - Focus Malaysia