No changes to Perak PKR chairman, deputy posts

IPOH: There will not be any changes for the position of Perak PKR’s chairman and its deputy given the reshuffling involved in the party’s leadership in six states, says Tan Kar Hing.

The party’s state election department director, who is also the Gopeng MP, said the two main positions held by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang and Mohd Hairul Amir Sabri would remain.

However, if there were changes to any of the committee members, Tan said only Chang would be able to answer that.

“The party’s state leadership will be attending a retreat from March 8 to 10 in Pulau Pangkor to discuss various issues.

“Whether there is any reshuffle or additional posts for the leadership, Chang will inform us then,” he told a press conference on Sunday (Feb 25) after announcing a Chinese New Year event to be organised by the party’s state leadership in Kuala Kurau.

On Feb 18, PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had said that six states, namely Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Negri Sembilan, and Melaka, would undergo a reshuffle in their respective state leadership line-up.

Tan said the focus of the discussion during the retreat would be on important positions, and on strategic moves to gain back state seats that the party lost in the last election.

He said the state leadership is intact, but he could not deny the possibility that there would be an increase in positions to strengthen the state leadership for the next election.

“The party will be facing several challenges including preparing for the seats that we will be contesting and also looking for strategic areas for dynamic changes in the political landscape of Perak.

“For now the party’s state leadership will maintain the seats PKR has been contesting, but after the establishment of the Unity Government, we need to have discussions not only internally with Pakatan Harapan, but with Barisan Nasional as well.

“For now no such discussions are held, but the discussions are mainly on how to strengthen cooperation between both coalitions, to ensure the relationship of trust among the parties remains.

“We may start discussing seat negotiations this year, but I have yet to receive any information on that,” he said.

On the Chinese New Year celebrations, Tan said the event would be held on March 3 from 7pm to 11pm at the Tanjung Piandang community hall.

He said they were expecting some 2,000 people to attend the event.

“A lot of events are being held at the Ipoh city centre, so we decided to hold this event in the rural area.

“Furthermore Kuala Kurau is a strategic, and focused location for the party.

“Starting this year, we will have several programmes and conduct roadshows at several strategic areas,” he added.