PKR will in the next few days hold a discussion at the national leadership level on the two sudden resignations of its vice-president Jeffery Kitingan and Sabah PKR Wanita chief Christina Liew.

Speaking to reporters in Parliament today, vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah admitted that some members were ‘upset’ about the decision to appoint Ahmad Thamrin Jaini as the party’s new Sabah state leader.

NONE “Issues like Jeffrey and Christina will be discussed in the party within the next two days and we will resolve it [...] these are the issues the party will work out together with the state leadership,” he said.

Sivarasa ( right ) also confirmed that the party has received Kitingan’s resignation . However, its status will be further discussed at the meeting.

“He has offered his resignation but it remains to be seen if the party will accept it. The party has the right to also reject it, but that will be discussed in the next few days,” he said.

Earlier today, Liew, who is also PKR supreme council member and Kota Kinabalu divisional chief, resigned less than 24 hours after Kitingan tendered his resignation from his party post.

Among other things, she mentioned her dissatisfaction with the party’s state leadership, the latest being the appointment of Ahmad Thamrin who took over the reins from Azmin Ali.

However, Kitingan’s reasons for resignation are still not known.

‘Not a major problem’

Sivarasa described the latest crisis as ‘nothing major’ saying it was normal to have a political party with differing views within.

“Every party has different groups who wants to exercise influence in the states or at the national level. This is normal and we don’t see it as a problem,” he said.

He also brushed aside speculations that there was no consultations made with Sabah divisional leaders before Ahmad Thamrin was appointed to the post.

NONE “Consultation was done but what we have in Sabah is a state with different groups representing different communities.

“So there are bound to be different views and there is no consensus on positions. If there was a consensus on positions, we would not be in this situation,” said Sivarasa.

He also stressed that there is no split among the leaders in Sabah despite the fact that the crisis seems to have taken its toll.

“I would only use the world ‘split’ if the divisional leaders are leaving the party. But this is a difference in opinion on who should lead the state,” he said.

'We'll handle it'

Sivarasa is also confident that the party will resolve the matter even without the help of PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim who left for Cairo last night.

“This is okay because the president (Anwar’s wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail), the deputy president (Syed Husin Ali) and the vice-presidents are here.

‘So I think we are capable of handling this matter,” he said.