PKR Needs Azmin Ali As Party Faces Leadership Vacuum Ahead Of GE16, Says Activist

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.

Despite the initial resistance that may greet the return of former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, should it happen, the party may need his leadership experience now more than ever as it faces what has been described as a growing vacuum in its leadership ranks.

PKR activist and former contender for the Wangsa Maju PKR deputy division chief post Zainurizzaman Moharam, better known as Zack Rockstar, said the party appeared to have lost an important leadership dimension following Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli’s departure from the party leadership.

“From the perspective of rationalising PKR’s strategy to win the 16th General Election, I think the party is currently facing a lack of leadership.

“After Rafizi is no longer there, there is clearly a vacuum in the party’s leadership, particularly below the president’s position,” he told TRP when contacted today.

Zainurizzaman said Rafizi’s departure didn’t just affect the party at the leadership level, but also caused some of his supporters to ditch PKR for Bersama.

He said Azmin remained one of the few PKR leaders with a proven ability to command significant support within the party, noting that even Rafizi had previously lost to the former Selangor Menteri Besar in the contest for the deputy presidency in PKR’s 2018 party election.

Azmin Has A Record Of Building The Party

According to Zainurizzaman, Azmin’s value to PKR should not be judged solely on his political controversies but also on his track record as a party leader and administrator.

He said Azmin had played an important role in strengthening PKR during his time as deputy president and had also demonstrated his administrative capabilities during his tenure as Selangor Menteri Besar.

“When Azmin began standing out as a leader, many people viewed him negatively and claimed that he wanted to take control of the party. That was when factions within PKR began to emerge,” he said.

Sheraton Move And Video Scandal Remain Major Obstacles

However, Zainurizzaman acknowledged that Azmin’s possible return would not be welcomed by everyone.

Among the major obstacles, he said, would be the Sandakan video scandal as well as the lingering resentment over the Sheraton Move, which led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in 2020.

Still, Zainurizzaman argued that PKR should distinguish between political strategy and personal controversies when considering whether Azmin could once again contribute to the party.

“Azmin may be difficult for some people to accept because of the Sandakan video case. But even if it were true, that would be a personal matter.

“Many political leaders have skeletons in their closets that have never been exposed. In my view, Azmin has already gone through his darkest political period and paid the price for it. It is time to move on,” he said.

He added that, beyond the controversy surrounding the video, the Sheraton Move remained the main reason why many party members continued to view Azmin negatively.

“But if we go back to the strategy for the next general election, the question is whether we want to win. Azmin has the experience to help strengthen the party again,” he said.

PKR Cannot Keep Using The Same Strategy

Zainurizzaman said PKR’s recent electoral performances should serve as a warning that the party could no longer rely on the same campaign strategy and expect different results.

He said the party had visibly changed since Rafizi lost in the party election and stepped away from his leadership role.

“After Rafizi lost in the party election, PKR has not been the same as before. If you keep using the same strategy but expect a different result, that is simply foolish.

“PKR insists on contesting many seats even when the strength is not there,” he said.

He questioned the party’s electoral strategy and visibility following recent state elections, including in Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

Zainurizzaman said the party needed to seriously assess its performance rather than simply dismissing poor results as being caused by difficult electoral terrain.

“If we say Sabah is not traditionally our area, then what about Johor and Negeri Sembilan? How many candidates lost their deposits in the Johor state election?

“We are a government party, but the way we campaign still looks as though we are the opposition,” he said.

He also criticised what he described as a culture of overconfidence within PKR, where large crowds at political ceramah were sometimes mistaken for genuine electoral support.

According to him, party leaders and grassroots members should not assume that a packed event automatically translates into votes, particularly when many attendees may already be loyal supporters.

Johor Should Be PKR’s Wake-Up Call

Zainurizzaman said PKR must recognise that strengthening the party was also crucial to ensuring Pakatan Harapan’s overall electoral position remained competitive.

He warned against the perception that DAP was dependent on PKR, arguing instead that PKR’s declining support could become a liability to its coalition partner.

“We need to understand that PKR must be strong for PH to be strong. We should not think that DAP is riding on PKR.

“In reality, we could become a liability to DAP within PH,” he said.

For Zainurizzaman, PKR’s performance in Johor should serve as an important benchmark ahead of the 16th General Election.

He said the results showed that the party needed to reassess its leadership, electoral strategy and approach to grassroots mobilisation if it hoped to regain lost support.

“Johor should be the measuring stick. PKR needs to make changes because it is clear that we are experiencing a decline in support.”

Four out of seven Pakatan Harapan candidates from PKR lost their deposit in the Johor state election namely; Md Yusof Dawam who contested in Tenggaroh, Hishamuddin Ishak (Sri Medan) and Danish Rahman (Johor Lama) and Faizul Abdul Ghani (Tanjung Surat).

Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, X, Instagram, or Threads.