Since the release of Anwar Ibrahim from prison, some people believe he will be back to politic and expect him to contest the post of president at the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) election this year. On the other side, some party members have an opinion that Wan Azizah position should not be challenged yet.
Ahead of the next election, two camps appear in the PKR. One supporting Wan Azizah to continue her position as president, the other supporting Anwar to make a come back on politics.
The emergence of these camps caused a polemic and showed the intentions of each member to maintain their strategic position in the future.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia geostrategist Azmi Hassan said the existence of the two camps would not only lead to fierce competition within the party but also determine which camp would be in control of the Federal government.
PKR party election this year predicted will be an intense one because both camps would want their supporters to hold important positions in the party.
“This will not only determine who will be in control of the party but also the Federal government and state governments,” he said as quoted by New Strait Times (July 7).
Political analyst Ainul Adzellie said that PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali is in Anwar’s team. Ainul said if Anwar chose to run for the presidency, Azmin would defend his position as the deputy and a fierce competition is expected to happen for the vice-president posts.
However, PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli would most probably challenge Azmin for the deputy president post if the former was to be elected as a Senator.
“If Anwar is contesting for the presidency, his wife will provide an easy way and Anwar will relinquish his position as the party’s de facto leader. If this happens, the presidency will not be contested and Anwar will win unchallenged,” he said.
Deputy Chief of PKR Youth Wing, Afif Bahardin said he believed all PKR members would fully support Anwar if he contested for party president to replace the current leader, which is Anwar’s wife Wan Azizah.
"I think it is best for Anwar to contest in the election as this is the time for him to make an active comeback to the party and politics, become president and then the nation's eighth prime minister," he said as quoted by dailyexpress.com.my.
However, some PKR members feel that the post of Wan Azizah should not be challenged, this view is based on her experience in leading PKR for almost 20 years and her achievement to become the first woman to become president of a political party and deputy prime minister.
"Despite the suggestion that Datuk Seri Anwar should contest for the PKR president to return to politics, I gather that among the PKR members, some feel that, for now, the post held by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail should not be challenged,” Secretary-General of PKR Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said on MalaysianDigest.com.
After Anwar’s first release from prison, the PKR Congress in 2007 agreed to appoint Anwar as the de facto leader, as he was banned from being actively involved in politics because of his conviction.
The PKR party election will be held at the end of August, with nominations set for July 29. PKR President Wan Azizah is expected to confirm soon whether she will defend her post.