PKR chapters in every state can now chose their own chief, party president Anwar Ibrahim said.

This meant that party chapters in the peninsula would have the same autonomous powers that PKR in Sarawak and Sabah have.

Anwar said while the party president still had the overall power to appoint state party chiefs in the peninsula, he would delegate that authority to each state, which will consult him on their choices.

He said this in Kuching today, where he attended the meeting of state division heads who voted for Sarawak PKR’s new chief.

The incumbent, Works Minister Baru Bian, is tipped to retain the position.

Baru, however, was absent from the meeting today, which elicited some criticism, but Anwar said that Baru had already explained his absence.

“He said he could not make it as he had a pre-arranged church function (in his hometown, Lawas).”

PKR Sarawak information chief Vernon Kedit later said that Baru also had several other scheduled events in Lawas that could not be postponed. – December 14, 2018.