No decision yet on contest for PKR top post
GEORGE TOWN: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has not made any decision on the proposal that the party’s de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim contests for the president post in the party election.
Its secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the matter was still at proposal stage and it was up to the party members to debate and discuss over the issue in the spirit of democracy within the party.
“Despite the suggestion that Datuk Seri Anwar should contest for the PKR president to return to politics I gather that among the PKR members, some feel that, for now, the post held by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail should not be challenged.
“This is based on Wan Azizah’s experience in leading PKR for almost 20 years which had led to the party’s success and her achievement to become the first woman to become president of a political party and deputy prime minister,” he told reporters after visiting Bayan Baru market yesterday.
He agreed with the view that Anwar should contest in the party election to return to politics and be appointed as prime minister later in his capacity as the PKR president.
Saifuddin Nasution, who is also the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister (KPDNHEP), said all the views must be looked into in detail and the decision to contest for the president post would depend on Dr Wan Azizah and Anwar himself.
“I am confident that party members would fully support any decision made by them,” he said.
On Friday, PKR Youth Wing deputy chief Dr Afif Bahardin suggested that Anwar contested as PKR president in the upcoming party election and he believed all party members would give him their full support.
Dr Afif reportedly said it was best for Anwar to contest in the election to enable him to make an active come back to the party and politics and thereafter become the eighth prime minister. - Bernama