PKR convention aims for peace within party

KLANG: With barbs, insults and accusations the order of the day within the past two months of PKR elections, the three-day national congress which starts today may be nothing short of an explosive affair.

Allies and supporters of incumbent party deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and his adversary Rafizi Ramli have been at each other’s throats so much that the animosity may just seep into this weekend’s proceedings.

But the epicentre of the congress is the return of PKR icon Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to helm the party again. Anwar, who was elected as party president without a contest, will officially take over the PKR reins from Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

He is assuming the party leadership at a time when Pakatan Harapan is riding high after a resounding victory in the general election made possible by the reformasi movement he engineered 20 years ago.

Anwar’s entry into the scheme of things when PKR is at the pinnacle of success is seen as a buffer to soothe frayed post-party election emotions by many from within the party.

According to Selayang MP William Leong, since PKR was part of the government now, whatever that would be said or raised at the convention could translate into government policy eventually.

This, he said, would also spur members not to dwell on hard feelings but to look forward instead to the positive side of things in days ahead.

“We have to move on as we are now part of the government,” said Leong, who is aligned to Rafizi.

Former Batu MP Tian Chua, who won one of the four elected vice presidential posts, had said recently that bygones would be bygones at the convention.

“We must return to being one family,” Chua, who is an ally of Azmin, said.

He said it was important for the party to embark on reconciliation efforts so members could unite and work together.

Yet, there will still be the possibility of missiles being traded between the supporters of both camps.

Attention will also be on who will become the secretary-general, treasurer-general and the two vice-presidents for the new threeyear term.

Speculation is rife that Rafizi, who is currently left with no position, will be appointed the new secretary-general replacing Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.