PETALING JAYA: PKR chief organising secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has thrown his hat into the battle for the vice-presidency in the party elections in May.

       Nik Nazmi, who announced his decision in a live video on YouTube yesterday, said his bid wasn’t merely to score political points.

       “We want to provide a convincing platform to members so we can once again win the hearts of voters in the 15th General Election,” he said yesterday.

       The former PKR youth chief also endorsed former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli for the deputy presidency. “I’m confident this is the best combination – PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Rafizi – as well as a team that consists of other races from all states across the country.

       “With this combination, we can prove PKR is a party that isn’t just relevant for now, but also for the future,” he said.

       Nik Nazmi said Rafizi’s comeback to active politics was well received, as many voters wanted an alternative to Barisan and Perikatan Nasional.

       “I want to contribute to that effort and with this, I would like to contest as party vice-president.”

       Nik Nazmi acknowledged that there was disappointment among PKR leaders following the recent negative events, such as the “Sheraton Move” and PKR’s defeats in four state elections – Johor, Melaka, Sabah and Sarawak.

       “We must strengthen the party to take on the 15th General Election,” he said.

       The “Sheraton Move” saw the collapse of the Pakatan government following the exit of 11 PKR MPs along with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

       In the Sabah state election in Sept 2020, PKR only won two state seats. PKR lost all the state seats it contested in the Melaka and the Sarawak state election last December.

       In the recent Johor state election, it only managed to secure one seat – Bukit Batu – by a razor-thin majority of 137 votes.

       There are four vice-president positions to be contested at the PKR elections.

       The party president has the prerogative to appoint another two vice-presidents, one secretary-general, one information chief, treasurer and 14 state chairmen.

       At the last elections in 2018, Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, Ampang MP Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, Kuala Langat MP Dr Xavier Jayakumar and former Batu MP Tian Chua were elected as vice-presidents.

       Zuraida and Xavier both left the party, along with deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

       Nurul Izzah resigned on Dec 17, barely a month after the party congress but remained a member. On Feb 28 this year, she came back to active politics and was spotted during campaigns for the Johor state election on March 12.

       The PKR elections for the 2022-2025 term will take place from May 13 to 19.