PKR Youth information chief Razeef Rakimin said Guan Eng’s support for Shafie was an act of betrayal of PH. “For me, if he no longer has the spirit of standing in solidarity with PH, just dissolve PH,” he said in a statement.

He added that the PH presidential council had agreed on PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim as the coalition’s nominee for the prime minister’s post since the early stages of the collapse of the PH government.

Lim had said in an FMT interview that Anwar and Shafie remained his favourites as candidates for the top position. “We support Anwar to have the numbers, but if he can’t, we should give Shafie a chance and the due respect to a first East Malaysian PM,” he said.

Razeef contended, however, that in the event that Anwar does not get majority support, then the focus should be to strengthen the coalition and “take back the mandate” at the next general election.

“If we have previously agreed with Shafie as the Sabah chief minister candidate, why does Guan Eng need to complicate the situation by proposing Shafie as a prime minister candidate? Will Guan Eng also want to nominate Shafie as the Agong candidate after this?”

Razeef said he had had enough of Guan Eng pandering to Shafie after the DAP failed to obtain use of their party logo in the Sabah elections; he urged DAP leaders not to show their desperation over getting back into power.

He said PH leaders should not bring up issues that could cause conflict within the coalition, and should focus on the elections instead.