Time for Anwar to become PKR president, Shamsul says

INTERVIEW | Now that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has received a royal pardon, he should assume the role of party president, says Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin.

"I hope this party election, Anwar will contest as the president of the party.

"There should be no more ketua umum (de facto leader). This post of ketua umum was the creation of our party congress for Anwar,” the PKR vice-president told Malaysiakini in an interview.

"Now I think we are back in business, so I hope Anwar can listen to our voice, the voice of the majority.

"Let's abolish the ketua umum position so he can come back to lead the party as the president," Shamsul said.

After his first release from prison, Anwar was endorsed by PKR in 2007 AGM as its de facto leader.

At the time, he was slapped with a five-year ban from active politics due to his conviction for corruption.

Anwar was given a full royal pardon on May 16 this year, freeing him of a second sodomy charge - meaning that he can now officially return to politics and assume the premiership after Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

A quiet election

PKR's next party polls is expected to take place this August.

Its last party election in 2014 took a violent turn – with chairs and ballot boxes being thrown about – primarily due to tensions between the camps of Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Mohamed Azmin Ali, both of whom were running for the post of deputy president at the time.

Shamsul expressed his hope that there will be no repeat of such unsavoury incidents in this year’s party elections.

"The last election was very tense, but now we are in the government, so let us have a relaxed election.

"I have faith in the members of PKR. We have gone through various elections, and the last party election was very interesting, a lot of incidents,” he said.

"I just hope that in this coming party elections, those incidents can be reduced, because we believe democracy is noisy, but we do not want it to be very noisy.

"We need to handle that, because that can create a bad perception for the people,” he stressed, adding that the eventual winners should be magnanimous in victory and the losers, gracious in defeat.

'What’s next after Anwar?'

Shamsul, who is the MP for Hang Tuah Jaya, said PKR members should take the party’s future into consideration during the elections.

"I hope this coming August elections of the party will be used by the members to elect leaders who have the vision of bringing the party to the next level.

"We have gone through 20 years of struggle, but what will happen in the next 20 years, since we have become part of the ruling coalition?"

The only aspect of the party’s future that is set in stone, according to Shamsul, is Anwar succeeding Mahathir and becoming the eighth prime minister.

"For me that is settled. But what’s next, after Anwar?

"That is important for the younger group. We must prepare a pool of effective leaders who can bring the idea of justice to the forefront," he said.

A singular faction

Many view PKR as a party continually beset by factional struggles, and Shamsul believes that the party needs to better heed the words of its current president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who had said there is only one camp in PKR.

The party needs to focus on being united, he said, especially during this period of transition.

"The message was very clear, that the priority the party needs to take after winning is to consolidate its strength and speak with one voice.

"This is a process of transition… We cannot weaken the position of the party, if you start giving the impression of various versions.

"We cannot stop the perception, but we are working now towards becoming one team, and the progress is very good," Shamsul said.

Anwar himself has urged the party to come together, especially after his return.

"Anwar shared his views, by saying, 'I'm back and I'm in charge'. So let us work together and move forward as one team." - Mkini

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