Renegade PKR members aligned with former Selangor mentri besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (pic) have been accused of being behind the call for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to replace Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as PKR de facto chief. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 — PKR dismissed today the protest by several party members calling for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to replace Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as their de facto chief, claiming they were part of a renegade group aligned with the now-expelled Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil confirmed that the group had protested outside PKR’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya, but said those involved were part of a “renegade group”.

"The person who brought the issue up is a renegade party member," he told the Malay Mail Online via text, "aligned with (the) expelled (Tan Sri) Khalid Ibrahim."

"We believe he is a sleeper agent," he added.

Bernama reported later that Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin called the protest a sign of desperation on the part of PKR.

"They (PKR) are desperate and have nobody else to turn to for help," Muyhiddin said. "So, they decided to go for him (Dr Mahathir)."

On Tuesday, the Federal Court upheld the Court of Appeal’s 2014 ruling that had reversed Anwar’s acquittal of sodomising Saiful, also sentencing him to five years’ jail.

Anwar will now lose his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat as the law bars anyone fined over RM2,000 or imprisoned more than one year from serving as a lawmaker.

The decision also leaves the Pakatan Rakyat federal opposition pact without a leader.

Khalid was sacked from PKR last year after locking horns with the party leadership over his refusal to relinquish his post as Selangor mentri besar.