KUALA LUMPUR: Having been the driving force behind the formation of PKR after leaving then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Cabinet in the late 90s, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim however has not held the post of PKR president.
In a series of Twitter posts today, Anwar lamented how there had always been obstacles keeping him from holding the post over the years.
However, citing the different political landscape in the country presently with Pakatan Harapan (PH) taking over Putrajaya from Barisan Nasional (BN), Anwar announced he would be contesting for the post of PKR president in the upcoming party polls.
The change in government as a result of the 14th General Election (GE14) in May prompted a discussion with his wife, current party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and other top PKR leaders.
"InsyaAllah, if I receive mandate from the party's grassroots nationwide, I will steer PKR as its president after the conclusion of PKR's National Congress in Nov 2018," Anwar wrote on his Twitter account @anwaribrahim this morning.
There had been talk before his announcement for Anwar, who just had surgery in Turkey, to helm the party as president.
Yesterday, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil said he supported the proposal put forth by PKR deputy Youth chief Dr Afif Bahardin that Anwar should contest for the president's post.
Fahmi said Anwar's health condition would not be an issue as he was recovering, after the surgery and was being monitored by doctors, as reported by Bernama.
In making the suggestion Afif said that if Anwar was the candidate to replace Dr Mahathir as prime minister, then it was necessary for him to contest for the PKR president's post.
This, Afif had said would serve as a preparation for him to take over as the next PM, if he was indeed to succeed Dr Mahathir.
“I believe this will be supported by PKR members. This will activate his comeback to the party,” Afif said on July 6 in Penang.