Anwar will resolve Sabah PKR turmoil after Raya, says veep

KOTA KINABALU: The internal crisis in Sabah PKR will be resolved by party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, says PKR vice president Awang Husaini Sahari.

He said the revolt by 15 of 26 Sabah PKR division chiefs against its state chairman, Datuk Dr Sangkar Rasam, was discussed by the party's political bureau in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday (March 24).

"Sangkar remains Sabah PKR chairman. Anwar will come to Sabah to discuss the best solutions to overcome the current crisis facing the party in the state," said Awang Husaini, the former MP for Putatan and current chairman of the PKR division there.

He urged members to avoid mudslinging and give Anwar space to resolve the matter.

ALSO READ: Fifteen Sabah PKR division leaders want state party chief Sangkar to resign 'honourably'

"Whatever the decision of the president, all PKR members need to accept it and immediately unite for the sake of the party.

"The 17th Sabah state election is approaching, and we cannot afford to be divided," he said in a statement on Friday (March 29).

On March 18, 15 of the state's 26 division chiefs, including Kota Belud division head Datuk Mustapha Sakmud (Deputy Higher Education Minister), Api Api division chief Datuk Christina Liew (Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister) and Sepanggar division chief Peto Galim (state Assistant Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries Minister) demanded that Sangkar step down.

They also signed statutory declarations stating that they had lost confidence in his leadership.

Sangkar had maintained that he would not resign and rallied support from some of the party's key leaders in the state.

ALSO READ: No reason for Sangkar to quit as Sabah PKR chairman, says state PKR leader

Awang Husaini said the appointment of the Sabah PKR chairman in 2022 was done on the prerogative of the president after consulting state division chiefs.

As such, he said, affidavits cannot be used to challenge the legitimacy of Sangkar's appointment.

"(They) cannot just remove Sangkar... as Sabah PKR chairman," he added.

However, he said more than half the division leaders in the state going against the chairman had serious implications for his ability to steer the party effectively through the coming Sabah polls, due by September next year.

"Without command and control of the leadership, it is certainly difficult for him to make decisions based on consensus, not to mention to give instructions to subordinates on the direction of the party," he added.

ALSO READ: Sangkar rejects calls for resignation, accuses Sabah PKR rebels of slander

Awang Husaini noted that Sabah PKR needs to be strengthened before the state election, which is crucial as the party president is now Prime Minister.

"Winning the Sabah election, whether Pakatan contests alone or cooperates with other parties, is not only the main goal, but a victory would be an endorsement of the federal leadership under Anwar," he said.

"I am sure the party president will examine this crisis from all angles. The importance of the party and Sabah PKR's preparations for the election will certainly be the main considerations," he said.

He said that PKR had a key role in ensuring that Pakatan Harapan remained relevant in Sabah and the national political scenario.