Anwar: Sabah PKR may get new leader

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah PKR may have a new leader soon with talk of tensions brewing among members trying to oust current chairman Datuk Christina Liew.

PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim alluded to as much after he met members and division chiefs of the state, adding that he would support the voice of the majority.

“We still have some matters to tend to, including what the majority wants, but yes, there is a possibility of a new leadership for Sabah PKR,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.

Those speculated to take over from Liew include Balung assemblyman and former Umno member Datuk Osman Jamal and Tawau PKR chief Datuk Kong Hong Ming.

Asked whether Sabah PKR would get the power to choose its own leader due to autonomous reasons, Anwar said: “Yes”.

He said the party constitution, however, required the party president to listen to the voice of the majority before a final decision on party leadership was made.

“We have meetings every Tuesday so we’ll probably announce a decision then,” he added.

Liew is Sabah’s deputy chief minister, Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Tawau MP and Api-Api assemblyman.

She took over as the Sabah PKR chief after Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin quit in 2016 to form Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah, now part of the opposition.

Earlier at the press conference, Anwar said he was glad to see every attending member in good relations with one another.

“We can see that everyone here is able to work together as a team,” he said.