Sabah PKR Youth chief Zaidi Jatil (third from left) and the state Wanita chief Noriha Yakub (third from rights at a press conference to support Sabah PKR chairman Datuk Dr Sangkar Rasam.
KOTA KINABALU: The youth and women's wings of Sabah PKR are standing firmly behind embattled state chairman Datuk Dr Sangkar Rasam, telling his opponents not to rock the boat before the state election.
Sabah PKR Youth chief Zaidi Jatil and the state Wanita PKR chief Noriha Yakub both said that allegations that Sangkar was non-performing were baseless and the group should instead focus on strengthening the party for the coming state election.
Speaking at a joint press conference at the state party headquarters in Tanjung Aru here Wednesday (March 20), the two leaders said that the demand by the rebel group for Sangkar to resign was "unreasonable".
On Monday (March 18), 15 of the state's 26 division chiefs including Kota Belud division head Datuk Mustapha Sakmud (Deputy Higher Education Minister), Api Api division chief Datuk Christina Liew (Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister) and Sepanggar division chief Peto Galim (state Assistant Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries Minister) demanded that Sangkar step down.
The 15, who signed statutory declarations asking for Sangkar to be removed due to poor leadership, want the PKR central leadership to change the state chairman if he did not resign "honourably".
Zaidi said that the issue of resignation had never surfaced during the state PKR meeting but it was suddenly pushed during its last meeting on Sunday (March 17) when the Tuaran division chief asked Sangkar to resign for allegedly failing to strengthen the party.
"This sort of issue should follow the proper party process and not go to the media to demand his resignation," he said, adding that Sabah PKR would be seen as "weak" and divided by the people.
Zaidi said that any decision or change of state chief was the prerogative of the president after he consults with the division chiefs under the party constitution.
He said that the rebel group should wait for the next party elections due next year and allow Sangkar to continue and focus on the party's preparation for the state election.
"Sangkar was appointed by the president in 2022 after the party elections. He should be allowed to continue his term till the next party election," he added.
"Yes, we understand that this is normal (differing views) in politics (but) asking for his resignation is unreasonable, we believe it is for their personal interests," he said, adding that the state party had faced a similar crisis when Liew headed Sabah PKR.
"Liew was eventually replaced after the party elections in 2022," he said, adding the leadership allowed her to lead despite numerous calls to the president to replace her.
