In a statement, she said the appointments, announced over the weekend, were “disturbing and a cause for grave concern”.

With the exception of Sarawak and Selangor, she said, the appointed state chiefs were known to be aligned with one of two main factions in PKR.

“Why the heavy imbalance favouring one faction?” she said. “Appointments favouring one particular faction is tantamount to cronyism, which is anathema to any reform party.”

In at least Pahang and Sabah, she added, the chosen candidates did not initially hold majority support among state division chiefs.

She claimed the division chiefs “changed their support” after being summoned to meet the party president.

In Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, meanwhile, she said the president had chosen candidates despite others receiving the majority support of division chiefs.

She claimed to have copies of written memorandums of these division chiefs supporting candidates who were “inexplicably” not chosen.

Latheefa acknowledged that the party president was empowered to choose state chiefs in consultation with division chiefs but warned that it was “highly unusual” and contrary to the PKR constitution for the president to ignore the majority preference.

She also criticised the appointment of Nurul Izzah Anwar as Penang state chief, calling it inappropriate given that her father, Anwar Ibrahim, is PKR president.

“It is needless to say that the practice of appointing close relatives to important positions should have no place in a reformist party,” she added.

She slammed the appointment of the Kelantan state chief as well, noting that he was until recently a member of Umno and had been suspended over allegations of money politics.

“PKR needs to realise that it is now part of the federal government, charged with no less a task than instituting reforms and properly governing the nation. Hence, it must uphold the highest and best democratic practices.

“After a scandal-ridden and disgraceful party election process, these appointments only further erode public regard and confidence in PKR,” she said.