[UPDATED] Incoming, outgoing PKR leaders will speak, says Anwar on schedule change

SHAH ALAM – An eleventh-hour change will now see all incoming and outgoing PKR top-office bearers deliver speeches at the last day of the PKR national congress today.

Party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed to The Vibes that all 13 former and new postholders will now address the delegates.

This comes after deputy president Rafizi Ramli and other newly elected leaders were apparently dropped from the line-up after initially being scheduled to speak.

“All 13 speakers will be talking today, both outgoing and incoming,” Anwar said briefly at the Ideal Convention Centre here.

Asked if there has been a change to the programme, Anwar said, “I think so. The congress ends at 1pm. We still have time.”  

Meanwhile, during the resumption of the congress this morning, PKR permanent chairman Datuk Ahmad Kassim also confirmed the change to the agenda. 

Ahmad said the last day of the congress today will kick off with winding-up speeches by outgoing communications chief Fahmi Fadzil, youth chief Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, Wanita head Fuziah Salleh, vice-president Chua Tian Chang and secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. 

“After that, the new leadership will take stage and begin their winding-up speeches, starting with Adam Adli (youth chief), Fadhlina Sidek (Wanita head), four vice-presidents, deputy president Rafizi Ramli and president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 

“So, are all delegates and observers satisfied with the programme now?” he said, which was received by cheers and applause from the audience. 

The original congress agenda, which was shared with members of the press, included Rafizi and names of the newly elected leaders.  

However, PKR central leadership council member Sivarasa Rasiah said there had been a mistake in the programme and it was a decades-long practice for the party to allow the outgoing office bearers to address delegates. 

“Since PKR’s establishment, this has been the case. It has never involved the incoming postholders.”

It is unclear whether the change to the speakers was an error, but a source believes it could have to do with the brewing tension between Anwar and Rafizi’s camps. 

Members of the two factions have been locking horns since Rafizi announced his candidacy for the deputy presidency, going up against Saifuddin, who is known to be a close ally of Anwar. – The Vibes, July 17, 2022