PETALING JAYA: PKR chief organising secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has announced that he is aiming for a vice-presidency at the party's elections in May.

       He said his bid for the post was not merely to gain a political position.

       "We want to provide a convincing (proposition) to our members so we can once again win the hearts of voters in the 15th General Election," he said in a YouTube live video on Tuesday (March 29) evening.

       The former Youth chief also endorsed former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli as the next deputy president.

       "I'm confident that this is the best combination – PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Rafizi - as well as (team members) made up of other races from across the country.

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

       Nik Nazmi also touched on the unprecedented victory of Pakatan Harapan in the 14th General Election.

       However, he acknowledged that there was disappointment among PKR leaders following the recent slew of negative events, such as the "Sheraton Move" in February 2020 and PKR's recent defeats in subsequent state elections namely Sabah, Melaka, Sarawak and Johor.

       "Therefore, we must strengthen the party to take on GE15," he added.

       The "Sheraton Move" triggered the collapse of the Pakatan government following the exit of 11 PKR MPs and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

       In the Sabah state election in September 2020, PKR only won two state seats. It lost all the state seats it contested in the Melaka and Sarawak elections last year.

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

       Nik Nazmi said Rafizi's return to active politics had been well received, as many voters wanted an alternative to Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional.

       "I want to contribute to that effort and... would like to contest (for the post of) vice-president.

       "I hope the coming party elections will take place smoothly," he said.

       Four vice-presidents' posts will be contested in the PKR party elections.

       The four vice-presidents following the party congress that concluded in November 2018 were Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, Ampang MP Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, Kuala Langat MP Dr Xavier Jayakumar and former Batu MP Tian Chua.

       Nurul Izzah later announced her resignation as PKR vice-president and the party's Penang chapter chief on Dec 17, barely a month after the congress.

       She remained as a normal member.

       On Feb 28, Nurul Izzah returned to active politics after she was spotted during campaigning for the Johor state election.

       Zuraida left after the Sheraton Move, Xavier resigned from the party last year to become an Independent, while Tian Chua recently stated that he will not defend the vice-presidency.

       The party elections for the 2022-25 term will take place from May 13 to 19.