PKR bids to close ranks with new line-up

After a strenuous party election in November, PKR is now trying to close ranks and start fresh with a new leadership line up.

In what appeared like a step in the right direction, the party yesterday nullified the polls results in six divisions - Kuala Langat, Kapar, Klang and Subang in Selangor, Jerai in Kedah and Batu Sapi in Sabah - due to irregularities and will announce the date for re-polling soon.

But tell-tale signs in the pattern of state appointments appear to indicate that moving on is more difficult than the party would like it to be.

In Sarawak for example, newly-reappointed state chief Baru Bian’s decision to relinquish the vice-presidency weeks after his appointment suggests unsettling undercurrents within the state leadership.

Calling the vice-president’s post “largely ceremonial”, Bian claims that the appointment of retired civil servant John Tenewi Nuek in his place would allow him to concentrate on the upcoming state elections.

“This will free (me) to concentrate on the PKR elections machinery and lead the charge in the coming state elections,” he said on his blog.

But the admission of “whispers of a vicious (mobile text message) campaign to derail (Bian’s) re-appointment (as state chief) by a small group of dissenting ‘hidden hands’” in the same blog entry, indicates that his decision was more likely a move to defend his state post.

The appointment of relatively junior member Nuek to the post over Padungan assemblyperson Dominique Ng or former Sri Aman state representative Jimmy Donald, who both qualified to run as vice-president, too hints at a compromise.  

Mustaffa sidelined again

Where Bian was successful, newly-appointed political bureau member and defeated deputy president candidate Mustaffa Kamil Ayub was disappointed to find that he was not re-appointed Perak chief, signalling a decline in his influence.

But according to Mustaffa ( right ), who was also ousted as Pasir Salak division chief, 13 out of the 24 divisions chiefs had nominated him for the post in a ballot taken under the new system.

“The political bureau decided (to take a ballot) in December to do this because before there was unhappiness when the president makes the appointments. I believe most, if not all, states did this.

“You have to ask the president why I was not appointed. I am disappointed, not because I was not appointed, but because the process is not respected,” he said.

Mustaffa was replaced by Mohamad Nur Manuty, who was also appointed information chief.

Compromise appointments

The decision to send Pahang PKR senior member and Indera Mahkota parliamentarian Azan Ismail to Terengganu as state chief also raised eyebrows.

This allows for the retention of party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s close ally Fauzi Abdul Rahman as Pahang chief.

Azan ( right ) had resigned as Pahang PKR deputy chairperson in January last year, reportedly over dissatisfaction over how the party was being run, and is said to have been at loggerheads with Fauzi.

Compromise also appears to be the name of the game in Sabah, with the appointment of Pajuddin NordinTajawi, who is not heading any division, as state chief.

His appointment is said to enable the division chiefs to strengthen their divisions in the state, which recently saw a spate of resignations from senior PKR members including former vice-president Jeffrey Kitingan.

However, it remains to be seen if Pajuddin has the leadership skills to unite the state PKR that is said to be split into three factions led respectively by former state chief Ahmad Thamrin Jaini, former Sabah Umno activist Karim Ghani and Tuaran division chief Ansari Abdullah.

Decline of old guard

Whatever the case may be, it appears that the de facto leader is quick to remind sidelined senior leaders that their positions were never guaranteed.

“Problems emerge when senior leaders who have contributed, but have limited capabilities, insist on appointments,” said Anwar in a tweet yesterday.

“The public are able to judge based on performance inside and outside of Parliament. No matter how difficult it may be, prominent leaders must be pushed forward.”

Among the fresh faces appointed into the leadership are lawyer N Surendran, appointed vice-president despite the aspirations of failed VP candidate and Padang Serai MP N Gobalakrishnan, and Teja assemblyperson Chang Lih Kang who was appointed to the central leadership committee.