Kelantan PKR head Ab Aziz Ab Kadir has appointed the recently sacked state PKR Youth (AMK) chief Dr Hafidz Rizal Amran as the new "coordinator" for state AMK.

Ab Aziz said he had done so because he did not recognise the sacking, nor the appointment of Mohd Khairul Amin Abd Rahman as the party's new state youth chief.

He explained that the removal of Hafidz and the appointment of Khairul was undemocratic and did not fulfil PKR Youth's rules.

"Article 14.4 of PKR Youth's standing orders clearly states that negotiations with PKR Youth branches and the state PKR chief must precede the appointment of state youth chief.

"Unfortunately, (PKR Youth chief) Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad failed to go through this process.

"In view of this, I do not recognise the appointment of the new state PKR Youth leader," said Ab Aziz in a statement today.

New 'coordinator'

Ab Aziz did not explain in detail what the "coordinator" role will entail, but he did imply that it had an executive function because it will involve election preparations.

"I urge all PKR Youth branches in Kelantan to cooperate and work as a team to strengthen the party in the state.

"This is to smoothen the party's preparations in the state in view of the upcoming general election," he said.

He explained that this move was similar to how the party headquarters had appointed a "coordinator," in the form of Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, for Kelantan PKR.

Hafidz was sacked by Nik Nazmi on Aug 28 following a petition by eight out of 14 Kelantan PKR Youth chiefs calling for his removal.

Both Ab Aziz and Hafidz are facing a revolt in Kelantan PKR over their alleged support for cooperation between PKR and PAS.

End game: Booting PAS

Although PAS has officially cut ties with PKR at the national level, the PAS-ruled state government proceeded with appointing PKR leaders at various state government positions.

A similar practice is taking place in the PKR-led Selangor state government, where three PAS members are part of the state government and dozens more are appointees at the local government and village levels.

In a related development, Khairul today vowed to fulfil his mandate and welcomed the decision by the Pakatan Harapan leadership council to not pursue ties with PAS.

"On behalf of Kelantan PKR Youth, I stand firmly with the Kelantan PKR leader and I am ready to work towards Harapan's goals of governing Kelantan and Malaysia in the next general election.

"I urge party members in Kelantan to bury the hatchet and unite in order to continue our service to the party and Harapan," he said in his maiden press release today as Kelantan PKR Youth head.