Anwar under pressure to drop prominent state chief, says source

Division leaders are said to be unhappy with the state chairman for interfering with the performance of their duties, including nominating local councillors.

(FMT) – PKR president Anwar Ibrahim is under pressure to remove the prominent head of a certain state chapter due to dissatisfaction among division leaders, according to a well-placed source.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a PKR leader said Anwar recently met the divisional leaders of every state, with those from one particular state raising concerns about their chairman.

“Some may not have been as vocal about their concerns in the meeting but later expressed greater dissatisfaction in the state leadership’s WhatsApp group chat.

“The party president has already said he was looking at restructuring the leadership of several states after getting feedback from all division leaders,” he told FMT.

The source claimed that the figure, who is also in the top PKR leadership, had been repeatedly interfering with the performance by the divisional leaders of their duties.

“For instance, local councillor appointments. Division leaders were supposed to give their choice of nominees but certain state leaders interfered, including the state chief.”

FMT has reached out to several state PKR leaders for comment.

PKR leads the Selangor and Negeri Sembilan state governments and is also part of the Penang, Perak, Pahang and Sabah administrations.

Last month, PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the party will reshuffle the leadership of its state chapters soon, and that Anwar had already decided on changes to be made in the Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor chapters.