KUALA LUMPUR — Vocal PKR lawmaker Hassan Karim will not contest in the next general election.
The Pasir Gudang MP announced this at his division’s general assembly today, saying it was time to take a step back because of his age.
“I will not be contesting in the 16th general election as well.
“Why have I made this decision? The answer is simply because I have grown old and wish to make way for younger leaders to take over,” he was reported saying by The Star.
Hassan, 74, had said on March 1 that he would not contest in PKR’s upcoming party elections, whether at the central or Johor state level leadership. He also said he would not seek any post at division level.
Hassan, a lawyer, won the Pasir Gudang seat in 2018 and defended it in the last general election in 2022 with a higher majority.
The former Parti Rakyat Malaysia president has never shied from stating his views even when they run counter to the party or government line.
As a government backbencher, he abstained from voting in support of the Communications and Multimedia (Amendment) Bill 2024 which had drawn concerns about provisions that could threaten freedom of speech.
PKR is to begin its party elections next month, starting with bids for divisional posts. Voting for the central leadership council will be held in May.
Hassan had previously criticised the party’s move to change the voting process for the central leadership council and top office bearers to a delegate system, instead of the one-member-one-vote system as previously done. However, this system will be retained for elections at division level. – March 9, 2025