Fuziah Salleh (picture) intends to introduce a comprehensive party election manual that will standardise the party’s future election strategy. — Picture by Jack Ooi
PETALING JAYA, Jan 27 — Newly appointed PKR elections director Fuziah Salleh believes “creative servicing” will be the party’s key to edging out rivals Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next general elections.
The Kuantan MP admitted that the party comes second to the ruling behemoth in terms of financial strength but noted that the voting pattern appeared to have changed and is now based on a party’s ability to deliver.
“Yes we admit that we have financial [constraints] and we cannot fight with BN when it comes to this but there are creative way of going about the obstacle,” Fuziaj said in an interview with The Malaysian Insider.
“You can give voters, say, fish but how many times would you actually give them fish? What we plan to do is give the electorate their rights by providing efficient servicing,” added the mother of six.
PKR and its allies in the Pakatan Rakyat won 82 parliament seats and four more states in Election 2008, denying Barisan Nasional its customary two-thirds majority. PR has won seven out of nine by-elections since then, caused by resignations and deaths, for an actual gain of just one parliament seat.
As the new elections director, Fuziah will introduce an improved vetting system for contesting candidates in line with PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s vow to provide voters with quality leaders.
He had admitted in the past that PKR, which have seen several of its elected representatives causing headaches to the party over various issues, have a weak vetting model.
Fuziah has been tasked to turn things around. Known for her motivational skills within the party, she will personally prepare and train potential candidates to face elections.
The training she said will be based on five ‘pillars’ with candidates groomed to have quality personality, leadership, communication, political and additional skills.
“I am convinced that this approach will be off advantage to us,” she replied when asked if she felt this strategy will bear fruit.
She also intends to introduce a comprehensive party election manual that will standardise the party’s future election strategy.
“The manual will be based on the world’s best election campaigning modules used by people like (USA president Barrack) Obama who managed to win using little money,” she added.
The Kuantan MP took over the post from current party secretary-general Saifudin Nasution who replaced Salehuddin Hashim after the latter resigned following a fall-out with Anwar.
Her appointment could not have come at a more crucial time. The party, along with its allies, are currently fighting a BN onslaught in the ‘Allah’ controversy which has resulted in deteriorating Malay support for PR.
Fuziah acknowledged this fact but believe the issue will only affect voting patterns slightly.
“From the experience I gained, voters will not pay that much attention to issues like this. Maybe a handful will but at the end of the day there are many more issues that are more important like local issues that will affect their lives directly.”
Her immediate focus as the new elections director is realising the party’s conquest of Sarawak, which will be going to the polls within the next 18 months.
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