THE divisional leaders from Sabah PKR who initially demanded the resignation of Datuk Sangkar Rasam as the state party chairman, are now pressing for an overhaul of the whole state leadership.
Speaking on behalf of the 15 divisional PKR leaders, Pensiangan chief Raymond Ahuar dismissed assertions that Sabah PKR remains steadfast under Rasam’s leadership while signalling the problems the party will face if he no longer has the support of the majority of the state divisional leaders.
“It is widely known there are 26 divisions including Labuan under the Sabah PKR, and 15 have signed sworn statements rejecting Rasam.
“This means 11 branch chiefs are not involved. However in reality seven of the divisional chiefs are also with us, while four others have chosen to abstain,” he said in a statement in Kota Kinabalu.
Ahuar also pointed out the deception of the opposing group, stating that Rasam had been re-appointed by the party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in late February during a restructuring of state leadership in all states.
He said the restructuring had excluded Sabah and Sarawak and was only done in six peninsula states to fill the vacant positions of several state chairmen as some of them had been appointed to the position of deputy and vice presidents of PKR.
Ahuar further said that the reappointment of Rasam as Sabah PKR last month was also unconstitutional if it indeed had happened last month.
He said Rasam’s so-called reappointment had violated Article 21.8 of the PKR constitution where the selection of a state chairman would be based on the advice of the elected divisional chiefs to the PKR president.
The one who garnered the most support will then be appointed by the president to lead the state, he said.
“Such statements will only reflect negatively to the party president as if the PKR president had gone against the constitution in naming Rasam without consulting all the divisional chiefs,” he said.
Ahuar also stated that the exclusion of the Semporna chief Amin Mem from being involved was false, adding that Amin was among those who walked out from the state leadership council meeting last Sunday.
He also said Amin was among the 15 divisional leaders who had signed the statutory declarations citing their loss of confidence in Rasam as leader of the Sabah PKR.
Yesterday, the Sabah PKR chief said he will not bow to the call of the 15 divisional leaders for him to resign, stating he will continue to fulfil the obligation that was given to him by the party president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
PKR state secretary Samsuddin Sidek also rubbished claims that the party was in limbo in defending Rasam. – The Vibes, March 21, 2024
