Clouded future for Rafizi and Guan Eng ahead of DAP, PKR party polls

The political future of two senior Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders has come under scrutiny as parties nationwide gear up for the election of new leaders.

Rafizi Ramli, the deputy president of PKR, and Lim Guan Eng, the DAP national chairman, may have a tough road ahead amid increasing challenges to their influence.

And within their own parties – both core components of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration – those in power appear set to continue their run.

PKR and DAP will hold their elections in March, while Amanah and Umno – both Malay-based parties still struggling to gain the support of the community – will hold theirs next year.

Anwar is expected to retain his position as PKR president for a final term, although his party might not allow a contest for the top post.

Political observer Hisomuddin Bakar however said there was no guarantee that the same would go for Rafizi's position.

The question then would be who would challenge the economy minister for the number two spot.

Hisomuddin said Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari appeared comfortable as vice-president, compared to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution who held no corresponding position in the party to reflect his senior role in the Cabinet.

"If he contests, Saifuddin will need to improve his communication and engagement skills with the grassroots. His record in this so far has been very poor," Hisomuddin, the executive director of think tank Ilham Center, told MalaysiaNow.

Saifuddin, who lost the race for the deputy president's position twice before, has yet to state whether he will contest the role for a third time.

Competition in PKR is expected to be tight this time, given that party positions are seen as a ticket to running in the general election to come.

The decline of 'Lim dynasty'?

Over in DAP, conflict is intensifying between the camp represented by Lim – dubbed "the Lim dynasty" – and that of the party's secretary-general Anthony Loke.

The pressure on Lim increased after Loke and DAP deputy chairman Nga Kor Ming announced a pact to strengthen the party – seen as an alliance to reduce the influence of "the Lim dynasty".

Analyst Oh Ei Sun said DAP members were largely satisfied with Loke's leadership.

"The mainstream members of DAP are content with the current leadership under Anthony Loke," he said.

"If anything, there is a see-sawing power struggle between the Loke plus Nga faction versus the lingering Lim influence."

Oh, of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said the sentiments seen in the Chinese vernacular press suggested that the influence of "the Lim dynasty" in DAP would decline in the upcoming elections.  

DAP has 40 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, making it the largest component by parliamentary representation in Anwar's government.

Hisomuddin said the DAP elections this time around were a generational clash.

He also spoke of the decline in Lim influence, citing the failure of Lim's sister, Hui Ying, to take over DAP in Penang.

Instead, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim was appointed as the DAP chairman for Penang, the state which has been held by the party since 2008.

"This is why Lim's camp launched the recent attack on Sim, where he was labelled a traitor," Hisomuddin said, referring to the heckling of Sim at a dinner party for Lim's father, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.

He said the defeat of Gobind Singh Deo in the Selangor DAP elections was also a sign of opposition to "the Lim dynasty".

The digital minister obtained just 675 votes despite serving as Selangor DAP chairman. He also failed to qualify as a member of the state DAP central committee.

"There are claims that Gobind is with Lim's camp, which is why he was rejected," Hisomuddin said.