KUALA LUMPUR – As PKR prepares for its fully virtual 15th national congress tomorrow, the focus is expected to be on the constitutional predicament facing the country, as well as the government’s supposed poor handling of the pandemic and economy.
Beyond this, however, political analysts said as all eyes turn to the annual convention, the party leadership – especially president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – must address the core issues concerning PKR, namely its pre- and post-election plans.
Rumours were rife earlier this year that Pakatan Harapan may form an unlikely alliance with Umno ahead of the next polls.
This speculation is not without merit, considering that no one existing coalition – PH, Perikatan Nasional or Barisan Nasional (BN) – is likely to obtain a simple majority to form a new government come the 15th general election.
But with the nation scrambling to contain Covid-19, and against the backdrop of a state of emergency, political discussions have somewhat taken a back seat in the past few months. Tomorrow’s PKR congress will likely reignite talks.
Speaking to The Vibes, Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun said the timing of the congress is opportune, following the defection of several MPs from PKR this year.
He said the meet will provide a platform for Anwar to formally explain his overall game plan to regain federal power and consolidate the party.
“I think it will be nice if the party can, at the end of the day, give some sort of mandate, just like how Umno members gave the Supreme Council its mandate during the party’s general assembly in March.”
More than that, he said, it would be ideal if the PKR congress gives the central leadership council the all-important mandate to form new alliances with other parties.
This is especially important because we are on the verge of a change of government. But to be in PKR’s favour, it can be effectuated only if the party is willing to enter into a somewhat unsavoury alliance, perhaps, be a strange bedfellow to Umno.
“All this (talk of a new alliance) will somehow have to be derived from this congress. It cannot just be on Anwar’s whims and fancies as demonstrated last year, when he claimed to have the numbers.
“It must have some sort of authorisation from the party. Otherwise, PKR will drift further away,” he said, adding that Anwar’s rallying call tomorrow should be focused on regaining control of the government.
Congress best platform to convince party members
The PKR congress was originally slated for June 6, but a last-minute directive by the National Security Council saw the meet suspended.
On Wednesday, the party’s chief organising secretary and congress director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad confirmed the event’s new date, and said 2,000 delegates are expected to participate.
Like Oh, Universiti Utara Malaysia academic Prof Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani believes that Anwar’s rallying call will centre on the “new political alignment” and resolving divisions and infighting, to ensure PKR and the larger PH coalition recapture Putrajaya.
“Anwar has been hinting at this new alignment for a while, but it remains just talk. If he sees that there is true potential that this (new alliances) can happen, then he has to convince party members that this is the right direction.
The leadership needs grassroots support for this plan to succeed, otherwise, there will be further protests and division.”
He said Anwar, in particular, needs to clarify if fresh alliances with other parties will be formalised before or after the elections.
“There is no better platform to lay out his plans to party members than the upcoming congress.
“This scenario is similar to how Umno – (president) Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in particular – used the party’s general assembly to explain its future plans and get members’ mandate.
“PKR needs to do the same.” – The Vibes, June 19, 2021
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