Anwar next PKR president?
Party source reveals that a check-mate situation is brewing steadily in favour of Azmin Ali and Nurul Izzah to oust Khalid Ibrahim from presidential contest.
B Nantha Kumar, FMT
PKR may witness a major change as its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim makes his way into the president’s seat next year, revealed a party source.
The party insider hinted that incumbent president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will make path for her husband for the top post to avert a possible fracture in PKR.
“At the moment there are three top personalities vying for the president’s post, as Wan Azizah plans to retire from politics,” said the PKR man who wishes to remain anonymous.
Wan Azizah has been the party president since its inception.
According to the sourse, the three are party deputy president Azmin Ali, vice president Nurul Izzah and Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
Speaking to FMT, he further claimed that the trio are planning to wrest the seat in the party presidential election scheduled to be held next year.
“All three have respective strengths in the party level. While Azmin is well known as Anwar’s loyalist, Nurul Izzah who is also the Lembah Pantai MP, is backed by the younger generation in PKR,” he said.
Khalid, being the Menteri Besar of Selangor and has the most number of members in the party wants to take a shot too at the presidential seat.
Nevertheless it is highly speculated that there will be no contest for the said position if Anwar opts for it; basically to avoid internal bickering and conflict.
The party insider also highlighted that Anwar has picked Azmin as his deputy, while Nurul agrees to remain as vice president.
“Basically, the game plan is very simple. It is a plot to checkmate Khalid who apparently does not have a cordial relationship with the party leadership,” he said.
“There is rumour lurking that Khalid has isolated himself from the top PKR leaders and is running the state merely with the blessings of the DAP and PAS.”
