Former PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has yet to decide whether to contest the deputy president’s post in the party’s upcoming central elections.
His comments follows speculation of a possible contest against Datuk Rafizi Ramli, following the unexpected exit of several prominent figures at the branch level.
“As a reform party, democracy must thrive, which is why elections are a celebration of democracy. In elections, some are elected, and others are not.
“I don’t want to create a dichotomy between Saifuddin and Rafizi, as mentioned by the prime minister — everyone in the party is part of it.
“I’ve also heard the views of those suggesting it’s time for me to make an announcement and so on. But I still haven’t made any decision in that regard.”
During the PKR elections for the 2022-2025 term, Saifuddin was defeated by Rafizi in the race for the party’s number two position.
Saifuddin said he met with Rafizi yesterday for a closed-door discussion on the way forward to strengthen the party ahead of the central elections.
He said the discussion, which took place at the economy minister’s office, also touched on their shared commitment to work together for the party’s benefit.
“Yesterday, I visited Rafizi’s office, where we held a closed-door meeting. We discussed how to further strengthen our respective roles within the party.
“We also discussed many current developments within the party, and the key takeaway from our conversation was our ongoing commitment to continue strengthening the party.
“We consider this election process as a democratic process permitted by the party’s constitution,” he said.
Saifuddin, who is a former PKR secretary-general, said losing in the party polls did not mean getting sidelined as long as the individual was still committed to the cause.
“Look at me. I’ve lost more times than I’ve won and I’m still here.
“It also doesn’t mean that if you are a big name, such as a minister or a deputy minister, that you will automatically win.
“The party election is dynamic and is a process of ‘refreshment’,” he added, referring to recent results in the PKR divisional elections where prominent members of government were defeated.
The results of the PKR elections at the branch level, including the youth and women’s branches for the 2025 to 2028 term, saw the emergence of new faces, with a significant number of prominent PKR divisional leaders ousted.
This includes Setiawangsa branch chief and Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who lost to his challenger, Datuk Afdlin Shauki.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim also failed in his bid for the deputy branch chief post, securing only 791 votes compared to Zamzizul Nordin, who received 1,905 votes.
Several prominent figures, however, managed to defend their positions after winning uncontested, including Communications Minister and Lembah Pantai member of parliament Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, who retained the position of Lembah Pantai branch chief for a second consecutive term and Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, who serves as PKR deputy information chief.
Source : NST
The Coverage Malaysia
