Sabah PKR Youth downplays revolt talk over 'parachute candidates'

Sabah PKR Youth chief Zaidi Jatil has sought to cool speculation of an internal revolt over alleged “parachute candidates” ahead of the state election, insisting the party remains harmonious and stable.

Zaidi dismissed claims that Sabah PKR was on the verge of an uprising following a meeting of more than a dozen divisional chiefs on Thursday night.

He said a Malaysiakini report portraying the gathering as a sign of major dissent was misleading, stressing that it was merely a routine consultation between the state leadership and grassroots division heads.

“The session took place in a friendly, family-like spirit. It was a healthy space to listen to grassroots views and strengthen coordination,” Zaidi said in a statement.

He said the meeting was part of ongoing election preparations and reflected the party’s culture of openness and dialogue.

Malaysiakini had earlier reported that a revolt was brewing within Sabah PKR as local division chiefs accused Kuala Lumpur leaders of hijacking the state election and imposing parachute candidates with no grassroots backing.

The alleged backlash was said to have been discussed at a secret meeting on Thursday night involving 17 divisional chiefs.

Zaidi reaffirmed that Sabah PKR remains “stable, united, and focused” on its election preparations.

Sabah PKR remains committed

While acknowledging that local division chiefs deserve to be consulted on candidate selection, he stressed that such engagement is part of the party’s long-held commitment to consensus-building.

“The voices of division leaders and state-level leadership deserve respect and inclusion in candidate selection. That reflects our principle of consultation and togetherness,” he said.

His remarks followed reports of unease among some Sabah PKR leaders over candidates allegedly handpicked by the party’s central leadership in Kuala Lumpur.

Zaidi reiterated the youth wing’s loyalty to party president Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the prime minister, saying Sabah PKR remains firmly committed to the reformist struggle.

Yesterday, PKR election co-director Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the party has yet to finalise its list of candidates for the Sabah election, adding that seat negotiations were in their final phase and the matching of candidates to constituencies was still ongoing.

The upcoming Sabah election is expected to be a litmus test for PKR’s local leadership, amid persistent tension between grassroots branches pushing for greater autonomy and the central command steering national strategy.

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