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Monday, 15 February 2010

PKR party polls delayed to end-2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 — Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) direct supreme council election which was slated for the party’s May congress has been postponed to year-end.

This six-month delay is for the party to make adjustments after the constitutional amendment mandating the new method was approved by the Registrar of Society (RoS) a fortnight ago.

It is likelier to be held in November after Hari Raya Aidilfitri. The deferral has been passed by the supreme council and PKR’s political bureau.

Branch leaders have been briefed about this development.

Secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (picture) confirmed that the Congress proper will happen in May but without the direction election.

Speaking at Rantau Pannjang last night he explained that branch AGMs will be conducted throughout March as a prelude to the national congress

“There will be no election (in May). That will happen at the convention at the end of the year,” said Saifuddin

The amendment will not empower every member to elect the party leadership, which is unprecedented in the history of political parties in Malaysia.

“This will mean all 460,000 members will take part in choosing the national leadership, thanks to this new constitutional amendment.

“This restructuring empowers all members, and effectively makes PKR the first political party to do so.

“The direct vote to every member will lead to leadership which meets the aspirations of the people,” he said.

He took the opportunity to take a swipe at the Barisan Nasional (BN), saying they always speak of change, but only in cosmetic terms and still mirrored by racial politics.

“The administrations of Mahathir, Pak Lah (Tun Abdullah Badawi) and now Najib have always been influenced by the politics of race, rivalry and bickering. They are not built on principles of federalism.

“Denying states’ rights. Principles which undermine the people’s interest,” he stated.

Responding to the possibility Pakatan Rakyat may make a police report over the country’s first submarine — of suspect specification following its initial inoperability — Saifuddin said the matter was embarrassing.

He said any action will be discussed at Pakatan’s shadow cabinet ministry of defence committee.

“Parliament’s mid-march sitting will be our best platform to ask for a ministerial white paper to explain the situation,” he added.

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