JOHOR BARU, Sept 30 — Johor PKR division leaders have been summoned by the party’s central leadership for a special meeting in Petaling Jaya, Selangor this afternoon, where a new PKR state chief is expected to be appointed.
It was learnt that the meeting, called by party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, will involve the state’s 26 PKR division chiefs and also the party’s elected representatives who will meet at a private residential property in Bukit Gasing, Petaling Jaya.
A source close to the state party leadership said the 2pm meeting was communicated by Johor PKR secretary Naim Jusri via mobile messaging application yesterday.
“The compulsory meeting with Datuk Seri Anwar and the state party’s leadership is rather sudden and we expect a replacement Johor PKR chief to be announced.
“However, it is surprising that such a major meeting is not taking place at the national PKR headquarters at Merchant Square in Petaling Jaya, but at a private premise instead,” said the source to Malay Mail today.
The source said there are several qualified state PKR candidates who could replace Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim to helm the southern state.
“Among the names that have been circulating are state PKR deputy chief Jimmy Puah Wee Tse, Baru Pahat MP Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon and Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh,” said the source.
Currently, Puah is the Johor International Trade, Investment and Utility Committee chairman and also Bukit Batu assemblyman. He is also the Pulai PKR division chief.
Mohd Rashid is the Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker and also the party’s Batu Pahat division chief.
Syed Ibrahim, on the other hand, is an appointed member of the PKR central leadership council and the party’s former national information chief.
The source said the appointment of the state’s new party chief was important and also timely for the impending Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election.
“The newly appointed PKR Johor chief will have to lead the state’s party in assisting then other Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties during the by-election campaign period.
“There is much work to be done as most of the other state PH component parties have already started their machinery despite the Election Commission yet to announce the dates,” said the source.
The post of Johor PKR chief has been left vacant after Hassan resigned in early July this year.
It was the second time Hassan quit the post, having withdrawn his first-time resignation in December last year.
Johor PKR has about 40,000 members spread across 26 divisions or called cabang in party-speak. The party has seven MPs and five assemblymen serving in Johor.
The state is among the top three states in Malaysia in terms of PKR member strength.
