PKR is not shaken by the departure of former deputy president Rafizi Ramli and vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, according to youth chief Kamil Munim.
Kamil said it was not unusual for leaders to leave the party, noting that PKR had endured several political upheavals since its formation, including the Sheraton Move, which saw numerous leaders quit the party.
He said many had previously believed PKR would become “fully paralysed” during the political crisis in 2020.
“But it turned out to be untrue in the 15th general election when we managed to form a government and Anwar Ibrahim was made the prime minister,” he said during a press conference in Kota Bharu, according to Sinar Harian.
PKR says support remains strong
Kamil said PKR continued to attract new members, including individuals who had previously left the party.
He stressed that the party remained resilient despite the recent departures and ongoing political developments.
On May 17, Rafizi and Nik Nazmi announced they would leave PKR and vacate their parliamentary seats in order to take over Parti Bersama Malaysia, also known as Bersama.
Their decision later triggered a wave of resignations and defections involving party members and division leaders.
Resignations reported in several divisions
Reports indicated that 19 committee members from the Pandan PKR Youth division resigned from the party in support of Rafizi.
Among them was the wing’s deputy chief, Haqimi Zamri.
In Johor, nearly 2,000 PKR members reportedly left the party on Saturday to join Bersama’s state chapter.
The state chapter has since formed a pro-tem committee comprising former PKR state and division leaders, including former Tiram assemblyman S Gopalakrishnan.
Kamil recalls PKR’s past political struggles
Kamil said PKR had previously survived major political challenges, particularly during the Sheraton Move, which significantly reshaped the country’s political landscape.
He maintained that the party remained capable of rebuilding and moving forward despite leadership changes and defections involving former senior members.
