Habhajan Singh

A POLITICAL trench war is brewing within Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and the battle lines are being drawn deep. What began as a bruising contest for the party’s deputy presidency has spiralled into a bitter standoff between two entrenched factions — with no ceasefire in sight.

While it is unlikely to ravage the anchor party for Pakatan Harapan (PH), any escalation may hurt the coalition in the next general election, which is not expected for another two years.

Let’s break this down with a quick history lesson: Trench warfare, as defined by military historians, is a form of combat where opposing forces dig in, exchanging blows from fortified positions. It’s slow, brutal and rarely decisive — until one side collapses from within.

In the case of PKR, the trenches are both digital and ideological. Social media has become the battleground, with loyalists from both camps trading barbs online. Political junkies from other factions have also eagerly jumped in, as expected.

The winning side — those who sided with Nurul Izzah Anwar, daughter of prime minister and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim — are urging all parties to move on.

The losing side — those supportive of or sympathetic to Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli — are seething with anger over the perceived underhanded tactics in the run-up to the party polls.

As with most political parties, hardcore supporters of Keadilan, as the party is known, are pretty much entrenched. They will stick to their guns and stand by their chosen side.

Even Nurul Izzah’s recent trip to perform haj with her husband did not escape scrutiny. Rumours circulated that she had embarked on a luxury pilgrimage, a story meant to spark outrage among party detractors.

A staunch supporter quickly came to her defence, dismissing the claims as baseless gossip. Agreed, the allegations were in poor taste. Whoever did it, bad boy.

But this guy needs to dial back the intensity of his defence of Nurul Izzah. Politicians will invariably find themselves in the line of fire and will have to respond when necessary. At times, it actually presents an opportunity to show the contrary.

In this instance, Nurul Izzah denied the allegations and so far, there’s no evidence to suggest extravagance. That said, power has a way of corrupting even the most principled. Let’s hope humility remains her compass.

Internally, the party may survive this rift — after all, many within PKR say they always expected Nurul Izzah to rise to prominence.

“Within the party, most have no issues with Nurul Izzah and other members of Anwar’s family. In fact, we have always expected her to lead,” said one party leader.

Still, the bigger question looms: What happens next for Rafizi?

He exited the race with a warning shot, criticising the party’s handling of internal reforms — particularly the controversial shift away from the one member, one vote system and the integrity of its digital voting platform. He talked spoke of “lackadaisical efforts to resolve them.” His words were measured, but his frustration was clear.

If left unaddressed, these concerns could fester. And while PKR may hold together for now, the longer-term implications for PH cannot be ignored. With the GE still about two years away, any further infighting could weaken the coalition’s standing when it matters most.

At its core, the PKR trench war is a struggle over values and direction. If the party fails to reconcile these differences soon, the battlefield may expand beyond social media — and into the hearts of voters who once believed in the promise of reformasi.