Mixed feelings in PKR
(THE STAR) – The appointments of new PKR heads in Perak and Sabah has been greeted with mixed feelings by members there.
The appointments of PKR information chief Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty as Perak head and Tuaran division deputy chief Pajudin Nordin as Sabah state chief were made on Sunday by party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution, who announced additional appointments to the central committee and new state leadership line up.
Both appointments had detractors.
Perak PKR information chief Zulkifly Ibrahim said Dr Muhammad Nur was not the choice of the Perak divisions.
He said that during a meeting on Dec 16, 13 of the 24 divisions in the state had voted to retain Mustaffa Kamil as state chief.
Old and new: (From left) Mustaffa and Ansari are being replaced by Muhammad Nur and Pajudin respectively. “In our opinion, the president must make a fair decision and choose the state chairman based on consensus or it would be a violation of our party’s constitution,” Zulkifly said when contacted yesterday.
According to Zulkifly, president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had gone round to seek the views of the divisions on the matter at the time.
But instead of respecting the choice of the divisions, the central leadership announced Dr Muhammad Nur as the new chief.
Dr Muhammad Nur is widely seen as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s man whereas Mustaffa Kamil had sided with former deputy president contender Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, who has since left the party.
Dr Muhammad Nur, when contacted, just said: “Let me sit down for a few days and think about it first.”
Meanwhile, various factions in Sabah have been caught by surprise over the appointment of Pajudin Nordin as state chief.
Pajudin, 42, is only a deputy chief of the Tuaran division, which is headed by Ansari Abdullah.
Pajudin is hopeful and optimistic that everyone will rally around him and stop bickering in the party’s interest.
“I hope everyone will close ranks and put their differences aside. We have to work to strengthen the party and gear up for the coming elections,” Pajudin told reporters yesterday during a press conference.
Pajudin’s predecessor Ahmad Thamrin Jaini said he had no problems with Pajudin.
“It is the prerogative of the president. I have no problems,” he said yesterday of the new state leader.
However, other senior party leaders in the state expressed surprise over Pajudin’s appointment.
“Honestly, we do not know what is the reason for his appointment. I don’t think our problems will be solved, may be its KL’s (party headquarters) idea of a solution,” said a senior party leader who declined to be named.
Sabah PKR has been hit by a spate of resignations including that of its former vice-president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
