Only one team in PKR, no factions, says Ramanan

Despite intense competition for key positions in the party election for the 2025-2028 term, PKR remains united as one team without any factionalism, said PKR deputy information chief 1 R Ramanan.

He said the 26-year-old party only had one team – that of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim – who would remain the party’s number one leader until the end of his term, although the deputy presidency would see a contest between two of the party’s key figures.

“To be honest, I don’t see team Anwar or team anybody else. Only one team in the party, that is team Anwar Ibrahim. There is only one president in the party,” he told a press conference in Butterworth today.

He was responding to reports that Nurul Izzah Anwar would be challenging Rafizi Ramli for the post of PKR deputy president in the party polls for the 2025-2028 term at the end of this month, a move some see as potentially divisive for the party.

Ramanan, who is also deputy entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister, said the party election should be conducted healthily as one big family, free from hatred or incitement.

Rallying support

On Nurul Izzah’s candidacy, he said that the “puteri reformasi” (princess of reform) had initially not intended to contest the party’s number two post, but later offered herself after witnessing grassroots support from within the party.

A total of 201 division chiefs declared their support for the PKR vice-president to vie for the deputy presidency.

He added that Anwar was likely unaware that his daughter would be contesting the post.

“For the past four states we visited, Anwar believed no one would be contesting the deputy presidency. Even in Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan and Terengganu, we only expressed interest in supporting Nurul Izzah as vice-president – the idea of her running for deputy president didn’t exist.

“However, when around 80 to 90 percent of the party rallied behind her, reflecting the will of the grassroots, there was nothing left for Nurul Izzah to reconsider,” he said.

Earlier today, Nurul Izzah confirmed her candidacy for the PKR deputy president post in the party election set for May 23.

Acknowledging the fierce competition, Ramanan, who confirmed that he would be contesting the vice-president post in this election, said he would work hard to gain support from the party’s grassroots.

He added he was so far satisfied with the backing received in several states, including Kedah and Penang.

- Bernama

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