PKR members must stop bickering and close ranks now that they have made their choices in the party elections, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said today.

“The leadership has been chosen and we must exercise self-discipline,” said the party founder and former president at the opening of the party’s women’s wing congress in Shah Alam today.

“The decisions were made democratically after consulting the grassroots and the leaders now guiding the party will have more challenges ahead,” said Wan Azizah, who is also a former deputy prime minister.

Wan Azizah said the PKR elections had proved fractious.

“The elections have tarnished our party’s name and the campaigns have tested our friendship. But there will be winners and losers in every elections and we must maintain our civility and preserve our comradeship. 

Wan Azizah, who chairs the PKR advisory committee, was speaking about the lingering problems following the party elections, which saw dark horse Rafizi Ramli defeat secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail for the no. 2 post.

Saifuddin, aide to party president Anwar Ibrahim, has championed the “big tent” proposal. 

Calls for a united opposition beyond the coalition was made after Pakatan Harapan lost badly in the Malacca and Johor polls this year.

Saifuddin’s rival Rafizi is against the idea and campaigning for those on his side to be elected to PKR’s central leadership committee (MPP).

Unlike previous PKR congresses, the pathway to to meeting venue, the Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam, has been lined with the posters of MPP candidates.

The party will vote for the MPP members tomorrow.

Yesterday, Malacca assemblyman Ginie Lim said Rafizi’s campaign for MPP candidates was undemocratic.

“This is unfair to other candidates,” said Lim in a statement.

PKR is holding both its 2021 and 2022 party congresses at once this year after last year’s events were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. – July 15, 2022.