‘Brokers' within PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) are reportedly making ‘desperate attempts' to get newly appointed state chief Ahmad Thamrin Jaini to vacate the post. "He has become too divisive a figure," said several division chiefs on both sides of the divide, who are privy to the mediation efforts.

NONEThe last ditch efforts are being made by PKR leaders from Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. They fear that the prolonged crisis in the Sabah chapter will spill over into neighbouring Sarawak. With state elections due as early as next year in Sarawak, a prolonged crisis in Sabah will affect the party badly in Malaysian Borneo.

Kota Kinabalu division chief Christina Liew (left) disclosed that supreme council members in Kuala Lumpur are working the phone around the clock to resolve the party crisis in Sabah.

According to Liew, she had been constantly getting calls from supreme council members. "I told them that the numbers don't matter anymore. The issue has now gone beyond numbers but they don't seem to get it," she said.

Newly appointed Sarawak state PKR chief Baru Bian is the only member of the supreme council from Sarawak.

Thamrin keeping mum

Thamrin has not responded to texts or phone calls. A close aide, when contacted in Sandakan, repeated Thamrin's take on a feared exodus from the party. "He will cross the bridge when he comes to it," said the aide. ‘He said it would be better for others to make a stand on the matter."

Some of the nine division chiefs aligned with Thamrin are not amused that their man may be eased out sooner rather than later. Tawau division chief, Kong Hong Ming, has shed his long-professed neutrality and is now aligned with Thamrin.

Kong pooh-poohs the mediation efforts and "does not see a problem with Thamrin's appointment as Sabah state PKR chief".

"We are progressing as planned. Ground support is good, if not better," claimed Kong. "Public sentiment is with PKR Sabah."

Kong did not substantiate his claims. However, some of the division chiefs aligned with Thamrin, including Kong and Ansari, are trying to get elements in the divisions to dispute their stated official stand. Apparently, the game plan seems to be to wreck any mediation efforts to get Thamrin to quit as the state chief. "Money is flowing around like water," said former PKR state secretary Kanul Gindul. "Where did they get the money from?"

The Papar division is being cited as a case in point. Deputy division chief, Awang Bakar Awang Hussin, issued a statement yesterday evening disputing the official stand. Last Saturday, the division gave a two-week ultimatum to party advisor Anwar Ibrahim to resolve the controversy over his "undemocratic" appointment of Thamrin as state chief. The division also put on hold a resolution to dissolve the division and its members to quit the party en masse. This followed intervention by Jeffrey who "advised them not to jump the gun".

Awang Bakar, who was reportedly earlier summoned urgently by Ansari, announced at the state PKR headquarters in Penampang that he was against the ultimatum and has sent a memorandum in protest to party president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

It is learnt that efforts are being made by pro-Thamrin division chiefs to replace Papar division chief Sylvester Balon as well as Papar Wanita Chief and deputy Sabah Wanita chief Evelyn Gobile.

Kong claims "the division meeting held by Sylvester last Saturday was not really a proper meeting". He has been busy calling in the press to dispute the meeting last Saturday by Papar. Kota Kinabalu division chief Christina Liew, a practicing lawyer like Kong, calls the latter's claim "a tall tale" and "anyway it doesn't matter anymore".

Ansari Thamrin's man

Ansari meanwhile now claims that the Papar division supports Thamrin as well. He's against "any undemocratic attempts" to remove Thamrin.

"Thamrin has the support of the majority (of the divisions). He should be given the opportunity to serve and afforded the fullest co-operation," said Ansari. "The issue of race and religion should not arise in a multiracial party like PKR."

Thamrin's backers are claiming that those opposed to his appointment are doing so on the grounds that "he's a Muslim and a Bajau".

Jeffrey, a Dusun who considers Thamrin a close friend, points out that "it's not a question of race or religion but about being democratically elected by a majority". Jeffrey claims that he has the legitimate majority with him.

"Let Ansari - an Indian-Bajau/Dusun - produce the list of divisions who are backing Thamrin. So far, Thamrin's group has not done so," said Jeffrey who reiterated that he has burnt his bridges, in any case, and that "the claims by Thamrin's backers are now academic".

Jeffrey alleged that Anwar is not interested in Sabah and Sarawak. "He only wants ten parliamentary seats each from Sabah and Sarawak to form the Federal government and be the Prime Minister," said Jeffrey. "Azmin Ali (former Sabah state chief) wants to be the sole deputy prime minister and not as stated in the Tambunan declaration."

Ansari does not want to be sidetracked in Sabah by the big picture that Jeffrey sees emerging on the horizon.

Thamrin has yet to announce the new state line-up pending the ongoing mediation efforts to get him to withdraw as state chief.

So far, only Kudat division chief Mursalim Tanjul has been appointed PKR state secretary. Kong has declined to accept re-appointment as deputy state chief during the state meet last Friday. Chief Thamrin backer, Ansari, dodged questions on the new state line-up. According to him, he "can serve the party, post or no post".