GEORGE TOWN - Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is by no means the only candidate endorsed by the party's grassroot leaders for the upcoming Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat by-election.
The grassroot leaders are in principle open to an injection of fresh faces to defend the seat left vacant by Dr Wan Azizah's husband and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who was officially disqualified as Permatang Pauh member of parliament as his petition for a royal pardon by his family was deliberated upon and rejected on March 16.
Differing views on the choice of candidates showed a sign of discord and crack at the grassroots level in PKR, as certain leaders have thrown a spanner in the works to deny Anwar's family stranglehold in the constituency which he or his wife had held since 1998.
Several alternative names have cropped up, with a few surprises in store before the candidates' are being finalised.
Speaking to the New Straits Times today, Sungai Bakap PKR assemblyman Datuk Maktar Shapee said the chosen candidate must have traits of an opposition leader in the parliament.
"Our immediate view is to have our Kak Wan (Dr Azizah), being the party leader to carry the torch but other PKR younger leaders should also be given an opportunity to rise to the occasion.
"I don't mind seeing a leader other than Kak Wan to contest," he said when contacted.
Rafizi Ramli
Asked on the potential candidates, Maktar, who is also the state legislative assembly deputy speaker, did not rule out the possibility that Anwar's nephew Badrul Hisham Shaharin (Chegubard) or even former Balik Pulau member of parliament Yusmadi Yusuf stand an outside chance to be nominated as a candidate.
"My point is that whoever is chosen as a member of parliament in Permatang Pauh must also shoulder the heavy responsibility to lead the Pakatan Rakyat.
"If you ask me a suitable contender to fill in the shoes in the Permatang Pauh seat other than Kak Wan, Chegubard or Yusmadi, I will say the party vice-president Rafizi Ramli fits the bill to be the next opposition leader.
"Rafizi is a surprise package but I am sure he has the enough credentials to succeed Anwar. This is my personal view, I will leave the final decision of candidate to the PKR top leaders," he said.
Meanwhile, Batu Uban assemblyman Dr T. Jayabalan said he would recommend Nurul Nuha Anwar as to head the polls list should Wan Azizah not being picked for a reason.
"Kak Wan will always be a favourite in a move to preserve the seat under the party's leadership but we should not overlook the budding talents shown by young leaders such as Nurul Nuha," he said.
Despite the alternative options being weighed at the grassroots, Penang elections director and state executive council member Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim claimed there had been no inner discussion over the candidate.
Wan Azizah
He declined to comment further when asked if PKR would consider fielding a candidate other than Kak Wan.
"The central working committee will decide the nomination and we have no say at the state party level," Abdul Malik said when contacted.
The list of names confirmed NST report today a host of names had crossed the mind of grassroots leader from different sources.
Anwar is currently serving a five-year prison term after a five-man bench led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria found Anwar guilty of having carnal intercourse with his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan. - NST
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