KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will continue being the Deputy Prime Minister even if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wins the PKR presidency in party elections next month.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this was based on the agreement within Pakatan Harapan (PH) made in the National Convention on Jan 6.
Based on the concensus, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be Prime Minister and Wan Azizah the deputy, and Anwar was expected to take over the country’s leadership in the next round.
“This means Datuk Seri Wan Azizah will continue holding the deputy prime minister’s position based on the PH concensus while Datuk Seri Anwar, if there are no problems in holding the presidential post, will remain (PKR president).
“Anwar needs to contest for a Parlimentary seat (to have position in federal cabinet). We have yet to reach that level, he has yet to reach the capacity to hold a government position.
“Thus during that period, Wan Azizah will remain in her DPM position,” he told reporters after Sabah PKR leaders gathering with Wan Azizah here.