WAN Azizah Wan Ismail need not give up her ministerial posts if she gives way to her husband to take over as PKR president in the upcoming party election, said PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution today. 

He said a consensus was reached by Pakatan Harapan during its national convention on January 6  that the prime minister post would go to Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his deputy would be Wan Azizah.  

He said de facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim would be the prime minister-in-waiting, and would only take the post once Dr Mahathir steps down.  

“This was the consensus and based on that decision, Wan Azizah will remain as deputy prime minister. 

“Even when Anwar takes over as PKR president, he still needs to contest a parliamentary seat. 

“As we have yet to reach to that point, Anwar has no locus standi to hold any government position,” he said during a party meeting in Kota Kinabalu. 

Wan Azizah had said she would give way for her husband to be the party’s president. 

She also said Anwar was currently undergoing treatment in Istanbul, Turkey, and that she had been unable to stay by his side due to the ongoing Parliament sitting. 

She said her husband’s health issues were the result of his incarceration and political backlash over the past 11 years. 

She also said that the party could pass a resolution to allow her to retain her ministerial posts once she stepped down as PKR president. 

PKR will hold its party polls on September 9, while nomination day has been set for July 28. 

Meanwhile, Sabah PKR chairman Christina Liew said 24 of 26 branch leaders in Sabah had thrown their support behind Anwar to be the next party president. 

She also credited Wan Azizah with leading the Pakatan Harapan ruling coalition to victory in the 14th general election. – July 22, 2018.