Former Kelantan PKR Youth chief Dr Hafidz Rizal Amran said his removal from the position went against the wishes of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, who wanted to see continued negotiations with PAS.

In a statement, Hafidz said the decision was also not in line with the PKR central leadership's ongoing negotiations with PAS, as well as the PKR-led Selangor government's continued collaboration with lawmakers from the Islamist party in the state administration.

Confirming that he received his removal order and the ensuing official letter on the matter from PKR national Youth leader Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad via WhatsApp, Hafidz said the latter's decision was made unilaterally and without due discussions.

"My removal was not discussed in the PKR Youth political bureau, or the PKR Youth Central Committee, which has not convened since March 2017, nor was it consulted with the state party leadership, as stipulated in the wing's standing orders.

"I believe (Nik Nazmi's) decision was taken based on a memorandum by a handful of PKR Youth members, who are not even legitimate, as they were not appointed via the wing's annual general meeting for divisions.

“Based on the previous central PKR Youth's results, I have appointed new sponsors to replace the said division leaders," Hafidz said.

He added that the stance of the Kelantan PKR Youth wing on working with PAS was based on the decision made in PKR's political bureau meeting on Aug 15, 2017.

The same viewpoint was expressed by Anwar, he claimed, whom he had met at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on 12 July.

Hafidz also said that he would arrange meetings with PKR Youth division chiefs throughout Kelantan in the near future to decide on the next course of action to strengthen the party's machinery to face the 14th general election.

"I will continue to fight to uphold the party's image in the national political arena, under the party's central and state leadership."

Yesterday, Hafidz was removed after he was seen as advocating continued PKR-PAS collaboration, despite PAS having formally severed ties with the PKR.

Eight of 14 the PKR Kelantan division Youth chiefs signed a petition demanding that the central leadership removes Hafidz.

The PKR-PAS collaboration talks have also seen PKR's Selayang MP William Leong quit his position from the party's political bureau, and party vice-president Rafizi Ramli calling for a special congress to discuss the matter.