Perhaps the biggest giant to fall was Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, a PKR vice-president, federal minister, and two-term MP, who failed to defend his position as Setiawangsa PKR chief.
Nik Nazmi, who plans to appeal, lost to actor-comedian Afdlin Shauki, who had joined PKR only about four years ago.
Other heavyweights who suffered defeats included:
- Akmal Nasir in Johor Bahru, Johor;
- Adam Adli in Hang Tuah Jaya, Melaka;
- Rodziah Ismail in Shah Alam, Selangor;
- Bakhtiar Wan Chik in Balik Pulau, Penang;
- Rizal Jamin in Lipis, Pahang;
- R Yuneswaran in Tebrau, Johor; and
- P Prabakaran in Batu, Kuala Lumpur.
Among them were two deputy ministers, a former deputy minister, a state PKR chairman, several MPs, and incumbent divisional leaders.
Analysts had said that the defeats of high-profile figures signalled grassroots dissatisfaction with their performance in Putrajaya and as elected representatives.
Akmal Nasir, a deputy minister and a two-term MP, failed to defend his post as Johor Bahru chief, a position he had held since 2014. Akmal is also the party’s strategic director and a former head of the youth wing.
Another deputy minister, Adam Adli, suffered a heavy defeat when vying for the post of Hang Tuah Jaya PKR deputy chief. Adam, the current PKR Youth chief and Hang Tuah Jaya MP, received only 791 votes while his rival Zamzizul Nordin won convincingly with 1,905 votes
In Shah Alam, there were calls for the remaining division elections to be postponed until alleged “irregularities” were resolved, after Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail lost the leadership of the division to Kota Anggerik assemblyman Najwan Halimi.
Rodziah, a former Selangor executive councillor, raised suspicions as she was the only candidate in her team that lost. An official complaint has been lodged against her for “undermining” the credibility of the PKR election committee.
In Penang, former deputy minister Bakhtiar Wan Chik was ousted as Balik Pulau PKR chief by his former deputy, Tuah Ismail.
Bakhtiar is in his second term as Balik Pulau MP, while Tuah is a former assemblyman for Pulau Betong, which is part of the Balik Pulau parliamentary constituency.
In Tebrau, Johor, two MPs suffered defeats, including the incumbent chairman, Segamat MP R Yuneswaran, who failed to defend his post in a three-cornered race. Tebrau MP and former state executive councillor Jimmy Puah meanwhile came up last.
In Kapar, former MP Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid was unseated in a four-way race, securing only 618 votes.
In Batu, P Prabakaran, the divisional chairman and second-term MP, was defeated by lawyer and former student activist Asheeq Ali. Prabakaran was first elected to lead the division in 2022 when he defeated former PKR vice-president Tian Chua.
Pahang PKR chief Rizal Jamin lost his post as Lipis division chief by nearly 100 votes.
Defeats for big-name challengers
PKR vice-president and deputy minister K Saraswathy was among several bigwigs who failed to become divisional chiefs. Saraswathy was second-best in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, and failed to oust Anwar Pawan Chik.
In Penang, state executive councillor Fahmi Zainol and PKR deputy secretary-general Zakwan Mustafa Kamal failed to upset the incumbent chairmen of the Jelutong and Tasek Gelugor divisions.
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung failed to unseat division chief Hee Loy Sian, while Rawang assemblyman Chua Wei Kiat lost the race for the Selayang PKR chief’s post.
Lee is also the PKR communications director, while Chua is the party’s deputy information chief. Both have appealed against the results.