A Two-Horse Race?

PETALING JAYA: The fight for Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) deputy president's post is expected to end up effectively a two-horse race between incumbent Azmin Ali and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Someone within the party is lobbying for another contender, secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution, to withdraw from the contest to avoid splitting Abdul Khalid's votes, China Press reported, quoting a PKR source.

The source said the fourth candidate, K. Ramachandram, will not have any bearing on the outcome. "Azmin stands to gain from a split in opposing votes in a four-cornered fight.

"If Saifuddin withdraws, those who don't support Azmin will vote for Khalid," the source said, pointing out that the party is divided into two camps, with one supporting Azmin and the other against him.

Given that more than half the party members are against Azmin, the incumbent may lose in a one-on-one clash, sources speculate.

However, there were also reports that Saifuddin is now stronger than Khalid, having succeeded in lobbying for the support of vice-presidents Tian Chua and Nurul Izzah Anwar. This raised the question of who among the two – Saifuddin and Khalid – should give way.

There was also talk that Azmin had been hand-picked by the top leadership to keep his No. 2 post, in return for not contesting the top post.

However, Azmin said he did not go for the president's post because he has no reason to challenge either de factor leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim or incumbent president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

China Press also reported that Tian Chua, Nurul Izzah and another incumbent, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, are expected to retain their posts in the 15-cornered vice-presidential clash. The slot vacated by Datuk Dr Mansor Othman is expected to be won by strategy director Rafizi Ramli.

By Kong See Hoh, The Sun