INFLATION, jobs and wage issues will feature large at the PKR congress in Shah Alam this week.

“Delegates will likely address corruption and governance issues,” said newly elected vice-president Nik Nadzmi Nik Ahmad.

As a general election could be held this year, the Setiawangsa MP said the delegates will most likely talk about campaign strategies as well.

“PKR has already held a few roadshows on current issues in Selangor.

“With all that is happening now – cost of living, jobs and wages – the topic will most likely revolve around (these issues),” said the PKR organising secretary.

The party congress is taking place over the weekend.

This is the first time PKR is having a physical conference of delegates after the events of 2020 that led to the ousting of the Pakatan Harapan government. The pandemic that followed had led to the postponing of the 2021 party conference to this year.

And while much of the agenda will be dominated by current issues, a source from PKR said delegates will also like recount the lessons learnt from the defections in the “Sheraton Move” and the party’s losses in the last three state elections.

“There will be a lot on strengthening our party and how to improve our cooperation with other Pakatan Harapan member parties.

“But I think there will be some who will want to question our performance in the last three state elections in Malacca, Sarawak and Johor,” said the source.

Several sources said the party will also discuss the “big tent” idea, which had divided members in the recent party polls.

“Should PH work with other opposition parties in GE15 after what some of them did to us? I’m not sure but that is likely to be discussed,” said a source.

At the party polls, secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail lost the party presidency to former vice-president Rafizi Ramli. Saifuddin, a former minister, was supportive of the “big tent” idea while Rafizi was not.

Calls for the opposition to present a united front under a “big tent” were heard after PH suffered heavy defeats in the Malacca and Johor elections. The plan is for the coalition to partner with other opposition parties, such as Pejuang, Bersatu and Warisan Sabah, in the general election.

Bersatu, which entered into coalition with PAS and Umno after defecting from PH, took over the government in 2020, pinching as many as 10 federal lawmakers from PKR to topple the PH government the same year.

International Islamic University of Malaysia political science lecturer Dr Lau Zhe Wei said PKR president Anwar Ibrahim will use the PKR congress as a platform to unite the party after its internal polls.

“Although the recent party elections were not as heated as the 2019 ones, Anwar will still want to unite the party.

“There are always minor fallouts after internal polls and this time is no different,” said Lau.

But more importantly, Lau said Anwar may want to state where he stands on the “big tent” proposal.

“Besides being the PKR president, Anwar is also the opposition leader and PH chairman. Up until now, he has been rather quiet on this.

“But with elections so close, he should state his preference.”

Universiti Malaya’s Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi agreed this is a time for PKR to close ranks after elections.

“After this there should be no team Rafizi or team Saifuddin. It should be team Anwar from now onwards so that they can face GE15 together,” said the Malay ethnic studies lecturer. – July 15, 2022.