KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) - one of main partners of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) ruling coalition - is no stranger to internal political manoeuvring. However, its latest proposal to forgo contests for its top two leadership positions has sparked fresh debate about the party’s democratic integrity and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s grip on power.

The plan, announced by PKR international bureau chairman Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin on Feb 1, would effectively guarantee that Mr Anwar retains his position as party president and Rafizi Ramli remains as deputy president.

While some view this as a pragmatic approach to maintain party unity and government stability, critics argue it undermines the party's reformist credentials and suggests a drift towards authoritarianism.

SHIFTING POWER STRUCTURES

Mr Anwar, 77, has led PKR since 2018. Due to the party’s three-term limit, the upcoming election will be his last as president. PKR, which turned 25 last year, needs a successor. It must prepare for a transition, but internal rivalry and power contests complicate the search. 

Scheduled for May 24, PKR’s internal election comes on the heels of significant changes to the party's voting system in December last year, including the dismantling of the one-member-one-vote system for top leadership positions - a system that had previously set PKR apart as Malaysia's most democratically structured party. The shift raises concerns that decision-making power is being concentrated among the party elite.

Months before this shift, the party’s former secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution - whom party insiders say was opposed to the changes - resigned and was replaced by Fuziah Salleh. On Feb 10, Mr Saifuddin, who is also Home Affairs Minister, was quoted by local media as saying that he had yet to decide if he would contest in the upcoming party election.

Meanwhile, speculation is mounting in political circles over a growing rift between Mr Anwar and Mr Rafizi. The latter, once seen as Mr Anwar’s heir apparent, holds the prestigious title of Economy Minister. His influence, however, remains constrained as major economic decisions fall under the finance ministry, which Mr Anwar himself leads.

When Mr Rafizi was appointed Economy Minister after the 2022 Malaysian general election, some saw it as Mr Anwar's attempt to keep his deputy in check. Despite his public pledge of loyalty to Mr Anwar, Mr Rafizi’s ambition to replace the party’s old guard with younger faces is well-known.

CALCULATED MOVES

The deputy presidency has historically been a battleground in PKR.

In the “Sheraton Move” in February 2020, then deputy president Azmin Ali, along with almost a dozen other PKR MPs, defected from the party, leading to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government. Following Mr Azmin's departure, Mr Rafizi beat Mr Saifuddin to win the deputy president position in the 2022 party election.

If Mr Rafizi, 47, were to be challenged in the upcoming election and lose, he would certainly lose his ministry.

Thus far, PKR vice president Amirudin Shari, 45, seems to be the only potential viable challenger to Mr Rafizi, considering his age and experience as Selangor chief minister.

Both men face a dilemma. To contest risks losing their current positions; to abstain maintains the status quo but stifles their political ambitions.

If Mr Amirudin were to contest Mr Rafizi and win, Mr Anwar could bring him into the government as a replacement for his former protege, effectively sidelining Mr Rafizi.

For Mr Amirudin, however, the stakes are high. Selangor is Malaysia’s most economically powerful state, and his position as chief minister gives him significant weight. If Mr Amirudin were to lose, it could cost him his position as chief minister and his influence in the party.

This scenario could also create an opportunity for Mr Anwar to bring in Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, known for being close to the former king. There has been increasing chatter that Mr Zafrul, currently with the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), is considering a move to join PKR in an apparent bid to become the next Selangor chief minister.

His ties to Malaysia’s royalty - his wife is from a royal family - could help Mr Anwar strengthen his relationship with the Sultan of Pahang, which has been strained by the Najib addendum saga.

PKR’S FUTURE DIRECTION

As PKR evolves, parallels with the old UMNO - the party many PKR leaders originally hailed from - is becoming increasingly apparent.

The key question is whether PKR's internal manoeuvring will fortify its reformist mission, or entangle it in the very political power struggles it once sought to dismantle?

On the face of it, the “no contest” for the top leadership positions might seem to undercut democratic norms, but some speculate that Mr Anwar may be using the controversy to pressure Mr Amirudin to enter the fray and engage Mr Rafizi. But much like Mr Saifuddin, Mr Amirudin appears reluctant to do so. 

Ultimately, Mr Anwar’s political acumen is undeniable. But as PKR grapples with its identity and future direction, the outcome of this internal contest - or lack thereof - could shape the trajectory of Malaysian politics itself.

Dr Sophie Lemiere is a political anthropologist who specialises in Malaysian and Southeast Asian politics, and has held research and teaching positions in major universities across Europe, the United States and Southeast Asia. She is currently Adjunct Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, as well as Research Fellow at College de France in Paris.