KUALA LUMPUR — A federal deputy minister and Sabah minister are the latest big names in PKR who lost in the party’s divisional elections.
Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir failed to defend his post as Johor Bahru PKR chief, losing narrowly to Johor PKR Youth Chief Taufiq Ismail.
Akmal, who is also Johor Bahru MP, obtained 587 votes against Taufiq’s 709 votes, according to results on PKR 2025 Election website last night.
The other notable upset was Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew failed to defend the Kota Kinabalu PKR chief position, losing it to a local community leader.
Liew, who is Api-Api assemblyman, received 1,157 votes against Lee Li Mei who won 1,381 votes.
Liew’s defeat in party polls comes on the heels of another trouncing in December, when she was replaced as Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman by Upko president Ewan Benedick. Liew had led the state PH since 2017.
Another surprise was PKR central leadership council member and Segamat MP, R Yuneswaran, who failed to retain the Tebrau division chief post in Johor.
The federal lawmaker took 589 votes, losing to businessman Prakash Maniam who won 691 votes.
A third candidate was Tebrau MP and Johor PKR vice-chief Jimmy Puah, who received 560 votes, showing that federal and central leadership positions had little bearing on the party members’ choices.
In the Simpang Renggam division election, former Education Minister Maszlee Malik defended his post as the division leader, obtaining 125 votes against his challengers Wong Yung Chin (109 votes) and Yusof Rahman (82 votes).
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, who is Sabah PKR Leadership Council (MPN) chairman, retained his post as the Kota Belud PKR Chief.
The Sepanggar MP won big when he received 1,405 votes in the contest against Madeli @ Modily Bangali (100 votes ) and Azhrie Jenaim (67 votes).
Sabah Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Datuk Peto Galim, who is the State PKR MPN deputy chairman, also defended his post as the Sepanggar PKR chief, while PKR Deputy Information Chief Mohammad Razeef Rakimin, who is also Sabah PKR Information Chief, defended his post as the Tuaran PKR Chief.
PKR’s elections for divisional posts, and the women and youth wings, began on April 11 and concluded yesterday.
To date, other big names who have lost include Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who failed to defend the Setiawangsa PKR chief position.
Nik Nazmi, whose other high-profile positions are as Setiawangsa MP since 2018 and PKR vice-president, lost the Setianwangsa chief post to actor-comedian Datuk Afdlin Shauki and has plans to appeal the election result.
Other prominent names who lost are Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli, who failed his bid for the Hang Tuah Jaya deputy division post; Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail who was booted out as Shah Alam division chief, and Batu MP P Prabakaran who failed to retain the Batu division chief post, losing to former student activist Asheeq Ali.
Some with high party positions also found that their posts did not help, such as PKR vice-president K Saraswathy, who is also Deputy Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister, who lost her bid for the Bukit Bintang division chief post.
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung, the party’s communications director, failed his bid for the division chief post and has filed an appeal with PKR’s election committee.
While divisional elections have concluded, voting for the central leadership committee, as well as national-level positions in the women and youth wings, will be held on May 24. – April 21, 2025