New Sabah PKR leadership expected in April

Clara Chooi

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 — The protracted leadership crisis in Sabah PKR is expected to end in an April convention with the 11-man presidential council making way for a new state leadership.

Party deputy president Azmin Ali has confirmed that members of a new liaison committee for the troubled state chapter will be selected and appointed during the convention, likely to be held in the first week of the month.

The Malaysian Insider understands however that the council will only be dissolved at the behest of party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (picture), who currently chairs the body.

Wan Azizah had formed the council earlier this month after she was forced to intervene in the prolonged leadership tussle in Sabah.

“If she agrees, the council will be dissolved and we can finally appoint new members of the state leadership. Hopefully, this will be a smooth process,” said a party source.

The transition plan is set to be in tandem with the party’s preparation for the coming general election, said to be held by year-end.

Azmin also confirmed that every state is expected to prepare its list of potential candidates for the polls by March 20.

The Malaysian Insider also understands that members of the presidential council were finalised during the party’s state leadership meeting last night and should be announced tomorrow.

“It was accommodated,” said the party source when asked if the appointments had been based on consensus by Sabah PKR leaders.

The source added that the council was an “issues-based” body with each member holding specific portfolios like education, youth, security and others.

It is believed that former Sabah PKR chief Ahmad Thamrin Jaini, an influential leader of one of the factions in the state, has been commissioned to hold a post in the council.

Sabah PKR has been plagued by a crisis for years and has seen a succession of five state chiefs since 2006 — including the latest chief, Pajudin Nordin, who defected to Umno this month.

Following the departure of Awang Tengah Amin as state chief in 2006, every other successor has failed to command enough support to unite the feuding factions.

First to follow was Ansari Abdullah, today PKR’s Tuaran division chief, but his appointment came under strong opposition from former vice-president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

Next, PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s right-hand man Azmin Ali was made state chief, resulting in an even louder chorus of disapproval from state leaders.

In 2009, Thamrin was roped in to lead the state but this was yet again rejected as the appointment had not been based on consensus from local leaders.

Supporters of Thamrin’s greatest rival, Ansari, then began to rally for the former’s removal, leading to the shocking appointment of Pajudin, whose name had never been on the list of potential candidates.

The recent events also led to the exodus of several leaders and members from the state chapter, including Jeffrey, who then went on to form a new political platform — the United Borneo Front — along with his supporters.

With his departure, the faction fighting in the state leadership continued between Thamrin and Ansari until Pajudin’s appointment on January 9.

The appointment, made by the national leadership, was highly-criticised as state leaders argued that Pajudin, the Tuaran deputy chief was a proxy for Ansari, who is the division’s chief.

It is also believed that Pajudin’s appointment had been rushed and had not been based on consensus. This was later admitted by Anwar, who claimed that Pajudin’s name had merely been a “test suggestion” by Wan Azizah.

Pajudin’s attempts to unite the party factions later flopped and 18 out of the state’s 25 division chiefs signed a resolution urging the national leadership to take over the state chapter.

When Wan Azizah waded into the crisis, an unhappy Pajudin then defected to Umno, complaining that the national leadership should stick to its promise of autonomy for Sabah.

He said that Sabah PKR would likely remain in shambles as its federal leaders never listened to the views and requests of the state members.

He also predicted in an interview with The Malaysian Insider that the party was likely to fail, yet again, in the coming general election to capture a single seat in Sabah.

“Looking at things now, the general election seems to be drawing near. Probably in June or July. But in the present situation, they cannot face the polls. They are not ready in Sabah as they are too busy fighting,” he said.

He revealed that the state had no machinery for the polls or any idea about who should stand as candidates.
“I have been there for 12 long years so I know what has been going on,” he pointed out.