Afdlin, who joined PKR in 2021, had contested for the same post in 2022 but lost to Nik Nazmi, a two-term Setiawangsa MP, party vice-president and federal minister.

Another vice-president K Saraswathy, a federal deputy minister, also came up second-best in a five-cornered contest for leadership of Bukit Bintang PKR.

Anwar Pawan Chik was elected chairman with 807 votes, followed by Saraswathy (683), G Sivamalar (664), C Kishore Kumar (32) and Loh Ker Chean (0) who had withdrawn for health reasons.

In Wangsa Maju, incumbent Lai Chen Heng successfully staved off Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan, despite claims that the division’s financial statements were manipulated in the lead up to the party polls.

Lai obtained 587 votes while Zahir and Abdullah Talib garnered 495 and 221 votes, respectively.

PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil, who is communications minister, and Azman Abidin, a political secretary to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, were reelected uncontested as heads of the Lembah Pantai and Bandar Tun Razak divisions.

In Batu, P Prabakaran, the divisional chairman and MP was defeated by lawyer and former student activist Asheeq Ali, who obtained 946 votes to Prabarakan’s 793.

Prabakaran’s election campaign was marred by a viral video depicting a woman saying that he would be distributing cash to PKR members ahead of polling day for the divisional election

He denied distributing cash to members and said he will cooperate with the PKR election committee’s investigations into the matter.

The final divisional elections will be held in Johor and Sabah tomorrow.

PKR is also holding elections for the women and youth wings from April 18-20 in Terengganu, Kelantan, the Federal Territories, Pahang, Penang, Johor and Sabah, following the first phase from April 11-13 in Kedah, Perlis, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, and Sarawak.

Elections for the central leadership councils of the national party and the two wings will take place on May 24.