No challengers for Anwar yet

PKR de facto leader still uncontested as he eyes top party post

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has the full support of the party in his bid for the PKR presidency while Rafizi Ramli’s bid for the No. 2 post will not cause instability, said party leader Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

“So with Anwar ‘taking over’ the position of party president, the ketua umum (de facto leader) position will not be there anymore,” he said at a press conference.

The PKR vice-president was responding to a question on whether the party would do away with the position of de facto leader – which is held by Anwar – now that he is gunning for presidency in the party polls.

Anwar was earlier reported to have said that he would be contesting for the post of PKR president as it was the promise he had made to Malaysians more than 20 years ago.

He said he had come to the decision after receiving the support from the party president and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and other party leaders.

To date, no one has come forward to challenge Anwar for the presidency.

Nominations for the PKR elections are to be held from July 27 to July 29 and voting over nine weeks from Aug 24 while the results will be announced in November.

Also on party elections, Dr Xavier believes that Rafizi contesting the deputy president post will not destabilise the party, adding PKR practises democracy and anyone can contest for any position.

This means that Rafizi could go head-to-head against incumbent deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali if the latter decides to defend his position in the coming party elections.

Azmin has yet to announce the post he is targeting in the PKR polls amid speculation that he is eyeing the top post.

PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who will run for a seat in the party’s central leadership council, has expressed support for Anwar for the party presidency and Rafizi as the No. 2.

The Setiawangsa MP, who earlier this week said that he would not be defending his post, said Malaysians were excited about the new Malay- sia and expected Pakatan Harapan to deliver.

“We must reform our country and take it forward. I believe that Anwar and Rafizi are the best people who can lead us in this journey,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rafizi said he felt a great burden contesting for the deputy presidency as he did not hold a government post or have the financial resources.

“Losing or winning is not a big deal to me, but someone has to defend reformation for PKR,” he said.

He said his campaign would officially commence tomorrow at Hotel De Palma in Ampang.

“I will introduce some of my colleagues who are willing to shoulder this burden with me,” he said on social media yesterday.