Following the crushing defeat suffered by Pakatan Harapan in the recent Melaka state elections, a number of youth leaders from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) have urged PH leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to surrender his position.
This did not go down well with PKR representatives who hit back saying that Anwar alone cannot be held responsible for the outcome of the polls.
In a statement posted via Twitter, PKR Youth vice-chief Thiban Subramaniam said it was unreasonable for anyone to point fingers at Anwar, saying many factors were to blame for PH’s defeat in Melaka.
“The PH leadership including Anwar is ready to receive all criticism and views. But it would be extremely unfair if Anwar alone were blamed for PH’s loss,” it said.
He also said that the statement showed that the spirit of camaraderie in PH was on the decline.
“After losing one state election, he immediately threatens to leave PH as if there was a plan in place to form a new coalition without PKR.”
“If that is what the DAP leadership wants, they are free to remove PKR from PH,” he added.
The statement was in reference to a now deleted Facebook post by Pahang DAP Secretary and Bilut Assemblyman, Lee Chin Chen which said that the opposition pact needed to explore a new direction and consensus as soon as possible.
If it failed to do so, DAP would have to consider the possibility of leaving PH.
“I call on Anwar to step down as the leader of the opposition so that PH can choose a new successor. Let us explore our new direction and consensus as well as oppose religious conservatives in the Malay right-wing coalition.”
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Secretary, Eric Teh Hoong Keat said that the defeat in Melaka had clearly shown that Anwar is no longer suitable to lead PKR or PH.
“In this state election, PH has been unable to attract Malay votes in the townships and districts, and it has also lost the strong support of the Chinese,” he added.
“If Pakatan Harapan does not take tonight’s lesson, the next Sarawak elections and national elections will eventually be full of grief and blood.”
“Each generation has its own mission, and Anwar’s historical mission has been completed. Obviously, he is no longer suitable to lead PH or PKR. I hope that the defeat would wake him to retreat and surrender the leadership to someone else,” he said.
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Also read: Melaka Election On Course For Its Lowest Ever Voter Turnout, Worse Than 2020 Sabah Polls
