ONCE touted as the catalyst for reforms and change by its supporters, PKR appears to be stumbling from one problem to another after it was mercilessly ditched by some of its key members in 2020.

       The party’s loss of clout was clearly reflected in its abysmal performances in the three recent state elections.

       In the Melaka polls last November and in Sarawak a month later, the party suffered a total wipeout in the 11 and 28 seats it contested respectively.

       In March, it won only one out of the 20 seats it contested in Johor.

       But PKR has been down and out before. It is a party that rose from the ashes since its inception in 1998 when only a handful supported it, until the historic 2008 general election which saw it conquering the rich and mighty Selangor.

       And that came after an abysmal 2004 election, when it only managed to win one parliamentary seat – Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in Permatang Pauh.

       PKR insiders say it can rise and soar again, starting with the party polls from today until May 22.

       They believe that by putting in place a strong team in the party polls, it will recover lost ground in the next general election.

       Universiti Sains Malaysia political science expert Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian agreed that the party election would indeed be the platform for PKR to create a new line-up to reinvent and strengthen itself.

       “There have to be new people, new ideas and a leadership which will work towards changing the party from within first,’’ he said.

       He said the new team must also be able to woo back supporters and convince them to come out and vote for it in full force like they did in 2018.

       Prof Sivamurugan said whoever wins the deputy presidency must be able to shape and pave the path for PKR’s future direction.

       “The deputy president must also do what the party cannot expect Anwar to do – go out and woo members of the younger generation.”

       That is why the fight for the No. 2 job – between secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and vice-president Rafizi Ramli – is building up to be a battle royal.

       Many PKR grassroots members say they are hoping the new deputy president will patch up the differences among key leaders, both at national and divisional levels.

       However, former PKR Youth vice-chief Mohd Nazree Mohd Yunus, who was sacked from the party following the Sheraton Move, said there must be a drastic change in the party culture and “behaviour” for the internal rift to be mended.

       “PKR should stop its culture of labelling people, which only divides members into camps.

       “For instance, we were called cartel members and treated with disdain even after the party polls, which saw Datuk Seri Azmin Ali winning the deputy presidency,’’ he said.

       He added that if the culture continued, the fracture within the party would not heal at all.

       There is also talk that PKR must wean itself off its co-founder and president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, with some even going as far as insinuating that he has become irrelevant.

       Prof Sivamurugan disagreed.

       “If he were irrelevant, he would not have won the president’s post uncontested,’’ he said.

       His view was shared by Merdeka Center programme director Ibrahim Suffian.

       “No one is as strong and influential as him in the party,’’ he said, adding that the question was not whether Anwar was relevant to the party or not, but if the political veteran could steer PKR from its current slump.

       According to Ibrahim, serious difference in opinions on various issues in the party will persist no matter who wins the deputy presidency.

       He said both teams were not likely to come to an agreement on PKR’s future political direction and the collaboration it had with other opposition parties.

       “So, Anwar has to step in after the party election and initiate unity as well as set its political direction and determine the degree of cooperation with other parties,’’ he said.

       The turbulence in the race for the party’s No.2 post can be seen in the recent allegation by Rafizi that there are 54,000 “dubious” party members who should not be allowed to vote.

       PKR practises a system whereby every member gets to vote in the party polls.

       Rafizi was quoted as saying his team had discovered 1,500 names which only came with a phone number and no other details.

       He said some of those on the list had claimed they did not even know they were PKR members.

       Following Rafizi’s allegation, PKR Selection Committee chairman Dr Zaliha Mustafa said her committee was cleaning up the voters’ list.

       Given the beating PKR had received in the last two years, party members are keeping their fingers crossed that the polls will be the magic wand that will set right what has gone wrong.

       As for observers who are following the polls closely, the million-dollar question is whether the upcoming PKR election will mark the end of the party, or spark a new revival – and make it soar again.