PETALING JAYA: PKR Youth has held an organisational reshuffle and dissolved its state youth committees in Perlis and Selangor in an attempt to better prepare for the 15th general election (GE15).

       This saw the termination of Kota Anggerik assemblyman Najwan Halimi as Selangor PKR Youth chief, Nor Azman Karap as Perlis PKR Youth chief, and Syed Badli Shah Syed Osman as PKR Youth vice-chief.

       A statement by PKR Youth on Monday (April 28) explained that the decision to terminate the positions came about following a special motion on the extension of tenure for positions held by the 2018/2021 leadership, which was approved during the recent PKR congress.

       "PKR Youth is taking a progressive measure by implementing the reshuffle of the PKR Youth central committee and also reshuffling the Perlis and Selangor PKR Youth organisational committee.

       "PKR sees the decision in that motion as a signal for the entire party machinery to start preparations to face GE15 that can be held any time from now.

       "Therefore, a strategic reshuffle is to ensure neater and more organised approaches in wooing younger voters," it said.

       Najwan, when contacted, confirmed that he was terminated as Selangor PKR Youth chief.

       'Why? I don't know. It's the prerogative of the Youth chief (Akmal Nasir) and I accept his decision," Najwan said.

       Najwan said he will be focusing on servicing his constituents during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as strengthening party work in the Kota Anggerik constituency, where he is the assemblyman.

       Najwan added that the letter was forwarded to him by PKR Youth secretary Ahmad Syukri Che Ab Razab.

       "I received the letter from Shukri, the central PKR Youth secretary, who informed me of my termination."

       Shortly after termination letters were sent to the trio, Sentosa assemblyman G Gunaraj's political secretary Danish Hairudin criticised the sudden termination of the trio, claiming that Najwan was terminated due to his friendly association with the "black shirts" group, who are backing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

       Danish accused Akmal of allegedly trying to divide members in the PKR Youth wing, arguing that Najwan had successfully united differing PKR factions in the past.

       Attempts to contact Akmal, who is the PKR Youth chief, were unsuccessful at press time.