KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 29): The appointment of former Pandan Member of Parliament (MP) Mohd Rafizi Ramli as Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president is the prerogative of the party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

PKR Advisory Council chairman Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said Rafizi also received many votes during the party election recently.

“That (appointment) is the prerogative of the president to choose who he wants and Rafizi, during the contest (in the party election) received many votes,” she said when met by reporters after attending a women’s carnival and ‘Back to School’ programme in Kampung Pandan Dalam here today.

Besides Rafizi, Anwar also announced the appointment of Tanjong Malim MP Chang Lih Kang and Saratok MP Ali Biju as the vice-presidents.

They will join the other three who were elected to the post during the recent party polls, namely Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin and former Batu MP Tian Chua.

Anwar made the announcement in a statement issued yesterday after the party’s Central Leadership Council (MPP) meeting.

During the PKR election, Mohd Rafizi lost to ​​​​​​​Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali for the deputy president’s post.

Meanwhile in PADANG BESAR, Perlis PKR chairman Amran Kamarudin also said the appointment of Rafizi as vice-president was the prerogative of the party president.

He said Azmin should not have questioned the matter and issued a media statement on it as it would ne a breach of the party regulations.

“If Azmin says Rafizi’s appointment can cause a rift in the party, that is impossible,” he told Bernama today.