Sabah PKR shakeup soon?
KOTA KINABALU: There may be a change in the Sabah Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leadership, said party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar told a press conference here yesterday that before making a decision on the matter, he had to take into consideration views and opinions of all PKR divisional chiefs in the state.
When speaking to reporters after a meeting with Sabah PKR leaders here, Anwar was asked about the state party leadership and if any changes would be made.
He replied: “There is a possibility of change in the Sabah PKR leadership. I can’t say it now, I have got to study the views expressed by the leaders, divisional heads and I will of course discuss further with leaders of the party.
“But more important as the Constitution stipulates, I have to take into account the expressions and sentiments and views of the divisional heads. So I will announce very soon,” he said.
The announcement is expected to be made next week after the party’s political bureau meeting next Tuesday, he added.
He said all the divisional leaders who attended the meeting had given their opinions in the appointment of the state chairman which he would consider together with the party’s central leadership.
Even though according to the party’s Constitution, it is the president’s prerogative, a decision will only be made after consulting all the state divisional chiefs, Anwar said.
To the question on whether, in the context of autonomy, Sabah PKR should decide who they wanted as the state chairman, Anwar said: “Yes”, and this would not only be for Sabah but with other states as well.
“I have been meeting state leaders; this is the ninth state and without exception, I, so far the majority of the states, have agreed with the majority decision. Of course there is no consensus as such but the Constitution stipulates that the president must consult.
“But in the true democratic spirit, I follow the wishes and sentiments of the majority unless there are compelling cases, whether the personality is so antagonistic or problematic that you have to refer.
“But I don’t see that as a problem thus far and certainly not in Sabah. I would certainly respect the wishes of the majority, this is the party spirit,” he said adding that the process of choosing the person to be the state liaison chief was one that must not be rushed.
“The process is that we don’t rush, digest it, get everybody to know, get the numbers, if I need to I will call them up again and ask them why, why not. But the principle is this, I will certainly respect, not only in Sabah,” he stressed.
Meanwhile when asked to comment on Suaram’s Kua Kia Soong’s claim that the Pakatan Harapan government as a regime is no less oppressive than the one it ousted in last May’s election, Anwar said the government took a serious view of the opinion.
“Our friends in Suaram have been rather consistent in their position. There were some pressing conditions now but I don’t think it should deter us or derail from our commitment to reject all draconian laws. “That was our position, this was clearly stipulated in the manifesto and clearly we would certainly honour that commitment.
“Of course we have given Tun Dr Mahathir to lead Pakatan Harapan, to become Prime Minister. It is therefore our duty to support him and ensure that this government is stable and strong but this does not mean we are not able to express or articulate our views,” he said.
Anwar said he chaired the Caucus on Reform and Governance with Lim Kit Siang as the Deputy of the Caucus and these issues would of course be paramount in their considerations.
“Draconian laws must be rejected (and) that the new Malaysia would warrant a new climate of change with clear emphasis on good governance, ridding the country of corruption, racism and religious bigotry.
“And they must take note of the fact that this is a new government; we inherit a horrible experience of the past of endemic corruption and abuse of power and there is a growing effort by those desperate groups in highlighting extremist interpretation of religion and racism.
“This cannot be considered as minor and we have to take adequate measures and to consider this a priority with our emphasis on economic development,” he stressed.
Kua when commenting on the government’s recent decision to retain laws that are often described as draconian, said the excuses given were the same as those the public had heard when Barisan Nasional was in power.
Last week, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the government had decided to withdraw the moratorium on the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca), Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota), the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) and the Sedition Act following the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple riot in Subang Jaya on November 26.
On Monday, Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the decision was made out of concern for national security, public order and race relations. He said the government would use those laws only in exceptional cases.
Kua, who is the adviser for Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), noted that the Barisan Nasional government used to employ the same words to justify the laws and told news portal FMT he believed PH was stymied by a lack of political will and the absence of a sound political ideology.
He alleged that none of the parties in the coalition could be described as progressive, but he also said the main reason for PH’s inability to institute promised reforms could be the control exerted on it by Dr Mahathir Mohamad as coalition leader and prime minister.