SHAH ALAM - Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim warned his Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) party on Saturday (July 16) that any leader who draws out internal conflict would be struck off nomination lists for Malaysia's national polls due in a year.

Speaking at the party's national congress, Datuk Seri Anwar stressed: "As president, I will not forgive those at the branches, divisions, youth or women's wings that choose to continue the strife from before the party polls.

"If they persist, rest assured they will not be candidates at the general election," he said when opening PKR's annual congress.

However, incoming deputy president Rafizi Ramli cautioned against kowtowing to the president at the expense of appealing to voters.

"If I were Anwar Ibrahim, we have to accept a factual finding... (which) is that he is losing popularity," he told reporters after the opening speech.

"What is important for the party and the new leadership is not to basically bodek (bootlick) Anwar and defend him. What we need to do is appeal to the people and try to win."

Mr Anwar was returned unopposed as president in May's party leadership polls, but saw candidates aligned to former lawmaker Rafizi also take three of four vice-presidencies.

The party has been split over whether Mr Anwar and the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition he chairs should continue to seek broader cooperation with other parties despite ideological differences.

His "big tent" strategy aims to prevent the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) from claiming victory at Malaysia's 15th general election (GE15), which many expect to be called in the coming months.

BN swept more than two-thirds of the Melaka and Johor legislatures at state polls in November last year and March this year, respectively, putting it in the driver's seat to triumph at GE15.

However, its landslide victories came despite not taking the popular majority, as PH and former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin's Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition both had smaller but significant vote shares.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin's Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia had been part of PH, which beat BN at the 2018 general election.

But Bersatu split from the coalition in 2020, taking with it a third of PKR's MPs, which allowed Mr Muhyiddin to head a coalition government together with Umno and other parties.

Most PH and PN supports have not been able to see eye to eye since.

Mr Anwar on Saturday insisted that he would not set aside the "intimate relationship" with coalition partners that dates back more than two decades by pursuing cooperation at the cost of PH's shared ideals.

"This is not a question of political expediency to win elections. We walk together on a common agenda, to bring reforms and reject corruption. We will strengthen PKR and move together as PH and, of course, continue to build links especially across the opposition," the former deputy prime minister said.

He reminded attendees that "Anwar is PKR president, PH chairman but also opposition leader of Malaysia's Parliament".

"So the relationship to work closely must be with all opposition parties. This we will continue on a set agenda. We must use our wisdom to ensure PH is the strongest core but not forgo our readiness to forge links with those who are aligned with our policies," he said.

Mr Anwar claimed, as proof of his steadfastness, that he declined to accept the backing of 15 Umno MPs that would have given him the majority needed to ascend as prime minister last year as he was unwilling to interfere in corruption trials faced by its leaders.

Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob took power in August last year after an impasse over whom Umno should back to succeed Mr Muhyiddin.

"They wanted a firm assurance that we will close their cases. Impossible. People say Anwar keeps failing. If you want me to succeed by sucking up to the corrupt, elect a different president," Mr Anwar said to cheers.

Mr Rafizi will speak at the end of the congress on Sunday before Mr Anwar wraps up proceedings.