PKR ELECTION: AN INTERNAL PARTY CONTEST, NO QUESTION OF CABINET RESHUFFLE ARISING - PM ANWAR

PUTRAJAYA, May 21 (Bernama) -- The 2025 PKR election is an internal party contest and has nothing to do with the issue of reshuffling the Cabinet, stressed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar, who is also PKR president, said the competition for positions in the party should be a process that is capable of strengthening and embracing all capabilities to bolster the party.

"The PKR election is a competition between our own friends, close associates and acquaintances. Therefore, there is no question of any change to the Cabinet.

"We cannot prevent other people's ambitions (to resign or fill vacancies), he wants to vacate (post), he wants to fill... that is normal.

"If you ask me, I have no plans to make any changes to the Cabinet," he told reporters after a briefing session with editors-in-chief of local and international media at the Seri Perdana Complex, here tonight.

He was responding to a question regarding the intention of incumbent PKR deputy president and Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, who is ready to relinquish his position in the Cabinet if he loses in the PKR election held this month.

The 2025 PKR election will see a one-on-one clash for the deputy president post between Rafizi and Nurul Izzah Anwar.

The 2025 PKR National Congress will be held at Persada International Convention Centre, Johor Bahru, starting Friday with voting for the Central Leadership Council (MPP), youth wing Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) and Wanita wing for the 2025-2028 session being held on the same day from 8 am to 5 pm.

Commenting further, Anwar said the 'heat' of the party's internal contest should be seen positively and does not reflect any element of political instability in the country.

"What is happening is the competition for the position is stable politics, there is competition... instability becomes a dictator with no contest... we have to look at it positively," he said.

Earlier, Anwar spent more than an hour in the briefing session, attended by 83 local and international media representatives, which among other things answered various questions posed by media practitioners on current issues including the ASEAN Summit which will be held this weekend.

Also present were the chief executive officer of Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, Bernama editor-in-chief, Arul Rajoo Durar Raj and Bernama Economic News Service executive editor, Saraswathi Muniappan.

-- BERNAMA