Is time still on Anwar's side as internal rot deepens in PKR?

SHAH ALAM - Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is entering its most challenging phase since becoming the backbone of the Unity Government following the 15th General Election (GE15).

This comes as the party and Pakatan Harapan (PH) not only face a series of defeats in two state elections, but are also weighed down by the perception that its leadership structure is loosening, the grassroots machinery is poorly organised and the party's wings have failed to draw support from young voters, women, fence-sitters and professionals.

The 'sabbatical leave' of PKR Deputy President, Nurul Izzah Anwar, while the party attempts to rebuild support ahead of GE16, has also served as a catalyst for perceptions that PKR is experiencing a leadership crisis.

Although her position has been temporarily filled by Vice President Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, it remains insufficient to boost morale and confidence among the party's grassroots.

The agenda to lift the eroding morale of PKR supporters becomes even harder when the President, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, appears more focused on his responsibilities as Prime Minister rather than strengthening the party.

Even though PKR Deputy Secretary-General Bryan Ng Yin Miih defended Nurul Izzah's decision on personal development grounds and stressed that the party machinery is still operating as normal, he himself acknowledged that public perception is difficult to avoid.

This is because the role of a deputy president is expected to function as the party's chief 'general' while the president manages the administration of the country.

"Many assume she is abandoning the party machinery. But in my view, the PKR machinery continues to function as normal. Business as usual. There is no issue even though she is temporarily absent.

"In my eyes, her efforts and sacrifices over the decades before Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim became prime minister were immense. She worked exceptionally hard.

"Now that the objective has been achieved, people are claiming she cannot go on leave to pursue her studies. This is an unfair accusation," he told Sinar on sunday.

The reality is that in politics, perception is often far more influential than explanation.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Politics and Public Policy senior lecturer Dr Mazlan Ali views these developments as a sign that PKR is undergoing the most difficult period in its history.

He said consecutive defeats in Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan can no longer be seen merely as early warnings, but rather proof that the party requires a complete overhaul.

"What is even more concerning is that Nurul Izzah's image as deputy president has also been tainted by these poor performances.

"This consequently raises the question of whether she has truly succeeded in shouldering the responsibility of strengthening the party's organisation following the PKR party elections," he said.

Disputes

At the same time, Mazlan highlighted that disciplinary action against several PKR Members of Parliament, alongside disputes over constituency allocations, further fuels the perception that the reformist party is drifting away from the core principles that once defined its identity.

Under these circumstances, Anwar is now seen as facing a major dilemma.

"As prime minister, Anwar's priority is to ensure the Unity Government remains stable until the end of its term.

"However, an overwhelming focus on government administration leaves the aspect of strengthening PKR and PH seemingly sidelined.

"This situation indirectly opens up space for Umno and BN to feature more prominently within the government, overshadowing PKR's own positive image," Mazlan said.

From a political communications perspective, for instance, Mazlan is of the view that Umno has been far more successful in projecting its leadership to the public, whereas many PKR ministers remain uninspired despite implementing various government policies.

"This situation causes much of the Unity Government's successes to be attributed to BN rather than PKR itself," he added.

A similar view was shared by Titiwangsa PKR Branch Chief, Syed Badli Shah Syed Osman, who openly acknowledged that PKR's greatest challenge no longer stems from attacks by political opponents, but from internal party weaknesses.

He described PKR as needing to conduct a thorough 'housekeeping' exercise, noting that many leaders hold positions in both the party and government yet fail to mobilise the organisation, communication networks, and grassroots machinery.

"There are leaders who are far too comfortable with their government positions and have become 'deadwood', to the point of neglecting their political duties within the party.

"As a result, when PKR comes under attack, very few step forward to defend the party and explain government policies to the public.

"When election cycles arrive, all the achievements delivered by the prime minister ultimately fail to reach the public due to the party's inefficient communication structure."

Self-Reflection

He also reminded that the 2026 PKR National Congress in Melaka on Aug 15 and 16 must not merely serve as a platform to praise the leadership, but must instead act as an arena for honest self-reflection to evaluate the actual performance of every leader.

Syed Badli Shah also issued a reminder regarding PKR's relationship with BN.

While the cooperation within the Unity Government must be respected, he stressed that PKR cannot overzealously defend its political partners at the expense of its own core struggles and principles.

For Syed Badli Shah and Bryan Ng, PKR still has time ahead of GE16 to reorganise, strengthen its political communications, restore the core function of its party leadership, and rebuild public confidence.

The question remains: to what extent can Anwar balance his responsibilities as prime minister with his role as PKR President?

If that equilibrium fails to be reached, the greatest challenge ahead will not just be retaining Putrajaya, but restoring the people's trust in the party that was once the symbol of the nation's reform movement.