Deputy youth chief defends sacked duo as cracks widen in PKR

PKR Youth chief Akmal Nasir and his deputy Muhammad Hilman Idham.

(FMT) – In what is seen as a further widening of cracks within party ranks, PKR deputy youth chief Muhammad Hilman Idham today insisted that Mizan Adli Mohd Noor remain as permanent chairman, a day after his superior Akmal Nasir defended the move to sack him.

Urging the PKR leadership to retract the letter terminating Mizan and his deputy Mohd Ramly Ahmad, Hilman said the move contravened the party’s constitution as well as the regulations of the youth wing.

In a statement today, he said the youth wing’s central leadership had no power to remove the permanent and deputy chairmen as the decision must be made at the national youth congress.

He added that those holding positions in the youth wing must remain as such until the end of their terms, regardless of whether they exceed the age limit.

This was one of the reasons cited in the letter dated Nov 27 and signed by PKR Youth national secretary Ahmad Syukri Che Ab Razak.

Akmal yesterday agreed that members of the youth wing should not exceed 35 years of age.

The letter also stated that Mizan and Ramly had received more votes than the number of delegates who showed up at last year’s congress.

However, Hilman said PKR rules allow seven representatives from every division to cast their votes.

“If only 270 representatives can choose, that means the congress was attended by fewer than 39 of the 178 branches nationwide,” he said, criticising the central youth leadership for being “weak” and “disorganised”.

Mizan and Ramly have denounced their sacking, saying it was unofficial and made without any solid grounds.

This comes in the midst of a tussle between two factions in PKR, with one supporting party president Anwar Ibrahim and the other his deputy, Mohamed Azmin Ali.

The rift has resulted in disputes, including over who is to open the youth wing’s congress and the recent Sarawak PKR convention, which took place despite state chief Baru Bian insisting it should be cancelled.