There is a growing culture of cronyism in PKR which threatens the reformasi movement, warned Youth deputy secretary Syed Badli Shah Syed Osman.

Syed, who spoke out against alleged party nepotism in Selangor last month, said cronyism could mar the party's struggle.

"There is no need (for us) to debate as to who has more experience in building up the reformasi movement because the more important issue here is who is able to continue the agenda of the reformasi.

"The reformasi movement is a civil movement sparked by the rise of the rakyat. The movement was later translated into a political movement dubbed PKR.

"The loyalty to the reformasi carries the meaning to (continue) its practice and uphold its principles instead resorting to destruction for the sake of defending the status of certain groups and leaders," he added in a statement.

Syed Badli said party leaders are obliged to uphold the principle of reformasi and absorb its principles of justice and transparency into the administration of the government.

He, however, claimed the principles have been marred by a small group of leaders who forgot their origins after becoming part of the government administration.

"The distribution of power without merit that is focussed on a certain group is destroying (PKR's) struggle for reformasi," he added.

Syed Badli, seen as a supporter of incumbent vice-president Rafizi Ramli, noted that while party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had won the president's post uncontested, he did not need a deputy who was ambitious just for his group and himself.

"The question now is who is able to support the reformasi principles and ensure undivided loyalty to Anwar as president," he added.

The upcoming PKR polls has seen escalating factional rifts in the party between Rafizi and the incumbent deputy president Azmin Ali.

Besides challenging Azmin for the number two post, Rafizi has also unveiled a team of his own preferred candidates against Azmin's.

Party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution recently expressed his support for Rafizi while the party's incumbent vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar was seen sharing a stage with Rafizi at a recent event.

It is said that Azmin's team comprises mainly of those in the cabinet, including ministers Zuraida Kamaruddin and Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

About 800,000 PKR members are eligible to vote in the party elections which will be held in stages according to states from Sept 14 to Oct 10 with a total of 218 divisions being involved.