S'gor PKR polls in full steam, tough fight for various positions in nearly all divisions

KLANG: The PKR party elections are going in full steam currently with nearly all divisions hosting a tough fight for the various positions in Selangor.

All eyes are currently on the Gombak division where incumbent chief Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who is also Selangor Mentri Besar, is facing off against former Perak PKR chief Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.

Although it is home ground for Amirudin, with some observers saying he will undoubtedly win, Farhash, who apparently has support from certain PKR top echelon leaders, is expected to give him a tough fight.

Sources also say that Farhash has been bringing in people into the Gombak division, which has about 12,000 to 15,000 members, over the past one year.

Merdeka Centre co-founder and programme director Ibrahim Suffian said it was difficult to say for sure who would make it due to PKR’s one-member, one-vote process.

“It is hard to say but I think Amirudin will make it as he is a long-standing leader and the mentri besar as well as someone who has been present in the area for a long time," said Ibrahim.

On the overall party election, Ibrahim reckoned divisions within members have somewhat blurred with many throwing their support behind party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Hence, those who were in former deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s camp previously, who are contesting for divisional positions currently, would not be persecuted for their past alliances, opined Ibrahim.

The Kota Raja division here is also seeing a big fight between Sentosa assemblyman Gunaraj George and Sangetha Jayakumar, who is the daughter of Kuala Langat MP Dr Xavier Jayakumar who had quit PKR last year.

When contacted, Sangetha said everything was moving very smoothly in the division.

“I must say this year’s divisional election is better organised than in 2018," she added.

Results for the polls will probably be announced sometime next week after all states have completed their division polls.