Liew: Sangkar’s position in PH remains until PM makes a decision

KOTA KINABALU: Embattled Sabah PKR chief Datuk Dr Sangkar Rasam’s face was conspicuously missing from the billboard put up for the party’s Hari Raya open house and 25th convention held on Saturday.

All national and state leaders’ pictures were included; however, Sangkar’s photo was missing.

A senior party leader said the billboard was not done by them, but by the members.

Sabah Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Christina Liew, who also heads Kota Kinabalu PKR division, brushed off the matter as just “a speculative issue”.

“Don’t make so much of it. There is nothing wrong if the members want (to show support) this way. That’s fine,” she said, adding that it does not mean there is turmoil within the party.

She said that neither the state party leadership nor members consulted each other on the creation of the billboard, adding they they will advise all the division and committees not to repeat such acts in the future.

Touching on Sangkar’s status, Liew said his position remains until a decision is made by party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a couple of days.

“I believe he will announce the decision very soon, because he met us all on Saturday, including Sangkar’s group. He will raise the matter in Kuala Lumpur.

“This will be discussed in the supreme council meeting on April 21, and a decision will be made soon,” said Liew, who also disclosed that she was supposed to attend the meeting, but chose to stay back as she wanted to attend the Sabah PKR Hari Raya celebration.

On Sangkar’s absence at the event, Liew said he could have opted to attend the PKR 25th Annual Convention at the Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam physically.

Liew, who is also the Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, reiterated her stand that there is no break-up within Sabah PKR, adding that once a decision is made, they will all work together to face the bigger challenge – the state elections which is expected to be called next year.

Anwar, who was in Sabah for the national-level Madani Raya Aidilfitri open house on Saturday, spent a few hours with Sabah PKR leaders to discuss several issues.

He said they touched on the state leadership issue, and an announcement will be made soon after consulting all division heads and discussing the matter at the supreme council meeting.