PETALING JAYA: According to Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, there are several young leaders who could potentially succeed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the next PKR chief.
In response to a question about whether PKR No. 2 Rafizi Ramli is next in line for the top post, the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister stated that there are other potential candidates as well.
This question was posed by former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin in the Keluar Sekejap podcast, given the hierarchy in the party and the age of the Prime Minister.
Nik Nazmi, who is also a PKR vice president, emphasized that the party constitution limits the presidency to three terms, and Anwar is currently in his second term.
He stated, “There is still a lot of time for Anwar to be the party president and also the prime minister. On the succession, of course Rafizi is the deputy president, he is 46 years old. Normally, the deputy president is seen as the future (leader).” Additionally, Nik Nazmi acknowledged the important role played by party secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, a senior leader with extensive experience.
He also highlighted the young crop of leaders in the party’s vice president lineup, including Nik Nazmi himself, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Chang Lih Kang, and Nurul Izzah Anwar.
Nik Nazmi expressed pride in the youthfulness of the party’s leadership, stating that it is a unique strength among Malaysian parties. He noted that the only other party with a younger leadership is Muda.
While he acknowledged that the party’s long-standing presence may obstruct the rise of other leaders, Nik Nazmi believed that there are plenty of candidates who can ascend through the ranks.
Rafizi, who defeated Saifuddin in the contest for the post of deputy president in the party polls for the 2022-2025 term, currently serves as the fifth deputy president of PKR.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
