PUTRAJAYA: Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is leaving it to the two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy presidential candidates on whether they want to continue with the debate or not in their campaign series for the 2025-2028 party election.
"Both are well-known figures, and both are assets to the party. Party members know and are aware of both parties' track records.
“So it depends on the candidates to accept or reject a debate," he said at a press conference after presenting the Immigration Department's Outstanding Service Award on Friday (May 16).
When asked to comment on Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli's offer to debate PKR vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar for the PKR deputy president post, Saifuddin said that debates were only one of many campaigning methods.
"It was an offer, not a compulsion," he said.
Nurul Izzah had earlier rejected Rafizi’s invitation to the debate.
The contest for the deputy president post is a straight fight between Rafizi and Nurul Izzah, while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim retained the president's position unopposed.
For the vice president position, 12 members have submitted their respective nominations including four incumbents, namely Nik Nazmi Nik Mat (Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability), Chang Lih Kang (Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation), Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun (Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan) and Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (Menteri Besar of Selangor).
The political secretary to Finance Minister Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim won the head of the youth wing, Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK), unchallenged, while Fadhlina Sidek (Education Minister) and Rodziah Ismail (Ampang Member of Parliament) are vying for the position of PKR Wanita chief.
The PKR National Congress, including the AMK and Wanita Congress, is scheduled to be held from May 22 to 24 in Johor Bahru, Johor, with the voting for the central leadership set for May 23.
