Chairman-less Penang PKR division leaders to meet Sunday
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AS concerns are raised over the chairmanship of Penang PKR, all division leaders in the state are expected to attend a special meeting this Sunday.
Party insiders said a meeting has been scheduled this Sunday at Yayasan Aman in Permatang Pauh, and the notice had been sent out to all the state’s 13 division chiefs.
The notice said the special meeting was being called following a December 16 letter by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim on the appointment of Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar as state chairman, and a December 31 letter by the party secretary-general’s office on the appointment of the state leadership council’s members.
Nurul Izzah announced her resignation as both vice-president and state chairman on December 16. Since then, the party leadership has not decided on a replacement.
“But I don’t know in what capacity she is chairing the meeting, or whether any announcement will be made after the meeting.”
Nurul Izzah’s resignation last month had shocked PKR Penang’s grassroots, and led the division chiefs to call a press conference asking her to reconsider.
A party source also said he believed the division leaders, including Nurul Izzah, who is still Permatang Pauh division chief, would discuss the state party chairmanship.
“Maybe they can reach some decision on Sunday,” he said.
On Monday, Permatang Pauh division deputy chief Dr Afif Bahardin had urged Anwar to appoint a Penang PKR chairman quickly as the state chapter needed a leader to do its job as part of the state administration.
“There are many issues in this new year that involves the state party leadership. The state government operations also require Penang PKR to give its views.
“If we do not immediately appoint a state chairman, then Penang PKR’s effort to play its role in the state government may be affected,” the Seberang Jaya assemblyman and state health exco had said.
Yesterday, PKR information chief Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin said the party needed time to discuss the appointment.
Bernama quoted him as saying that although the final decision was Anwar’s to make, he believed Anwar would “also be reviewing whether to continue retaining Nurul Izzah or to appoint a new one”. – January 11, 2019.