SHAH ALAM – The defeat of several senior leaders in the PKR election is not unusual, but it should not be taken lightly.
Universiti Sains Malaysia political analyst Professor Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said there was no need for a Cabinet reshuffle after the party election, the losses still sent a strong message that deserved careful attention.
"Right now, it seems as though there is a domino theory at play to sideline a certain faction within the party and this can be considered a wake-up call for the party leadership not to assume that positions are guaranteed forever.
"I see one of the factors as communication, which may have affected their performance and led to their defeat.
"This is rather surprising as it occurred across the country, but it must be remembered that this is also a part of the party’s democratic process," he told Sinar.
He was commenting on Anwar’s statement confirming that there will be no Cabinet reshuffle despite the PKR election which saw ministers and several deputy ministers losing at the divisional level.
Commenting on Anwar’s statement, Sivamurugan agreed that appointing Cabinet members remained the prerogative of the Prime Minister, who will advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
However, he noted that a reshuffle may still take place when the time is right, as there will be a vacancy once Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz completes his term as Senator in the Dewan Negara at the end of this year.
"I believe the Prime Minister will engage with various parties, especially grassroots members, to ensure that internal signals from within the party are also considered.
"This is aimed at driving rejuvenation, structural reforms within the party and strengthening leadership through generational change which may need to be reflected in the Cabinet as well," he said.
Sivamurugan added that Anwar, who is also PKR president, must consider the party election as a whole and assess the extent of its impact on confidence in leaders who do not hold any positions within the party.
This, he said, was crucial to ensure that it does not affect public sentiment and perceptions of his leadership and administration to the extent of becoming a political weapon for rivals.
"However, the Prime Minister may choose to retain them if he believes their performance as Cabinet members has been highly commendable," he said.