PKR risks implosion over talks with PAS
An analyst says it’s up to Rafizi and Saifuddin to save the party by quitting their posts or using non-party channels to voice their views.
(FMT) – A political scientist has warned PKR that it risks implosion as a result of internal disagreements over whether it should continue negotiating with PAS.
“There is always the possibility of PKR disintegrating due to the crisis,” said Kamarul Zaman Yusoff of Universiti Utara Malaysia.
He told FMT it appeared that it was now up to two key PKR members who are against the talks – secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution and vice-president Rafizi Ramli – to make a decision that might save the party.
He said they could either quit their posts or back off from using the party machinery to voice their disagreement. He suggested that they use Invoke, a think tank founded by Rafizi.
However, he acknowledged that a significant portion of the party’s grassroots might be against the idea of two senior leaders resigning from their posts.
Kamarul said PKR was in danger of splitting into two factions, one aligned with PAS and the other aligned with Pakatan Harapan.
If that were to happen, he added, the current pro-PAS bloc would be strengthened and Pakatan Harapan would see a weakening of its chance to win the coming general election.
PKR’s negotiations with PAS are aimed at reaching an agreement on electoral cooperation. PKR’s side is led by its deputy president, Azmin Ali and jailed party supremo Anwar Ibrahim has endorsed the talks.
On Aug 26, Azmin claimed that he was acting on a party decision. However, in an immediate retort, Saifuddin said no such party decision had been made.
On Aug 29, Pakatan Harapan leaders held a meeting and decided that the coalition would not cooperate with PAS. It was since then that the conflict in PKR has come out into the open.
On Aug 30, Rafizi disclosed that the party’s leadership had been split over the issue since 2015.
Rafizi named Azmin, Tian Chua, Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, Xavier Jeyakumar, Shaharuddin Badaruddin, Zuraida Kamaruddin, Latheefa Koya, R Sivarasa, Saifuddin Abdullah, Kamaruddin Jaafar and Fahmi Fadzil as being among those favouring cooperation with PAS.
Those against such cooperation, he said, were himself, Saifuddin, William Leong, Nik Nazmi Ahmad, Tan Yew Kew, Syed Ibrahim Noh, Johari Abdul, Sim Tze Tzin and Fariz Musa.
Many prominent opposition supporters, including former Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan, have expressed dismay over the open airing of the infighting.
