Generasi pascareformasi ujian sebenar PKR, kata penganalisis

Analysts highlight the significant challenge facing PKR in finding a clear replacement for Anwar Ibrahim, as the party must build a political identity that appeals to the younger voting generation unconnected to the 1998 Reformasi movement. Ahmad Zaharuddin stressed that the issue is more pressing because today's youth identify politics through immediate life issues, not the politics of the past two decades.

He noted that PKR must seek a leader who can give the party a relevant identity to the new generation, rather than merely a younger figure. The analysts from ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute's PRU15 study found that more than 30% of voters under 30 years old favored Perikatan Nasional, followed by PKR and Barisan Nasional. Bridget Welsh's analysis reported a 75.6% voter turnout among those aged 18 to 30 during PRU15, demonstrating the group's significant impact on the election outcome.

Zaharuddin suggested that PKR has been considering several potential leaders, including Deputy President Amirudin Shari, Communications Chief Fahmi Fadzil, Organizational Experience Expert Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Corporate-Kingdom Link Tengku Zafrul Aziz. However, none of them possess a clearly defined identity, charisma, narrative, and national mandate to emerge as the face of PKR after Anwar.

Oh Ei Sun, from the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), also commented that there is no strong image of a clear PKR successor, and it is not fair to say Anwar is not interested in a new leadership role. Instead, he appears hesitant in finding a clearly visible replacement as he has often been at odds with potential successors.

Though he did not name any former PKR leaders, Oh suggested that Anwar's caution in seeking a clear replacement might be a learned behavior from Dr. Mahathir, who became increasingly pushy in his push for higher positions without hesitation.