KOTA KINABALU: The prolonged internal crisis in Sabah's Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) could tarnish the party's reputation, said Universiti Teknologi Mara analyst Tony Paridi Bagang.

The turmoil began earlier this week when 15 out of 26 division chiefs in Sabah and Labuan demanded the incumbent chairman Datuk Sangkar Rasam to step down.

The drama continued as Sangkar refused to heed the call. Youth chief Zaidi Jatil declared support for Sangkar but was later asked to 'shut his mouth' by his deputy, Remysta Taylor.

"Prolonged crises can tarnish a party's reputation and erode public confidence.

"In the meantime, such a situation would simultaneously offer opportunities for other parties to attract PKR's supporters," said Tony.

However, he said that the rejection of 15 division chiefs indicated their desire for a change in leadership at the national level to better prepare for state elections.

Tony added that changing leadership is a common occurrence in any party, driven either by demands for it or as an effort to strengthen the party.

He said that if the existing leadership proves to be strong and effective, demands for change will not arise.

"PKR needs bargaining power to prepare for elections, especially when negotiating with any political coalition regarding seat distribution.

"If the leadership lacks influence, PKR may face significant challenges in claiming or requesting more seats than they already have because they need to compete with other parties in a cooperation or political coalition."

The 15 division chiefs had previously stated their preference for a leader who is an elected representative and holds a ministerial position in the government.

Currently, Sabah PKR has three elected representatives: Sepanggar member of parliament Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, Api-Api assemblyman Datuk Christina Liew, and Inanam assemblyman Peto Galim.

Mustapha serves as the Deputy Higher Education minister, while Liew holds the position of Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment minister, and Peto is the assistant Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Industry minister.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2024/03/1029740/prolonged-internal-crisis-could-hurt-sabah-pkr-analyst