Rafizi takes 2 divisions in Perlis, wins state election by slim margin

KANGAR: Rafizi Ramli won the PKR election in Perlis by 66 votes, giving him a lead against Datuk Seri Azmin Ali in the contest for the PKR deputy presidency.

Rafizi garnered a total of 400 votes in the Kangar, Arau and Padang Besar divisions.

The result was announced by Perlis PKR chairman Mohammad Faisol Abd Rahman at the Bangunan Perniagaan Asri Mat Isa polling centre in Arau earlier.

“Rafizi won in two divisions, namely, Kangar and Padang Besar.

“In Kangar division, Rafizi garnered 83 votes, while Azmin received 46 votes.

“In Padang Besar, Rafizi and Azmin obtained 130 and 70 votes, respectively.

“Rafizi, however, lost in Arau, obtaining 187 votes, while Azmin secured 218 votes.”

Faisol said less than 15 per cent of 5,490 PKR members came to vote in the election.

“Less than 1,000 members voted.”

Some supporters yesterday affixed photos of their candidate of choice in a list of candidates’ names, creating confusion among voters.

The move was blasted as unethical by Faisol.

The Arau division deputy head said the incident at the division’s voting centre caused a commotion.

However, he said the situation was brought under control by officers in charge.

“We have no problem if they come to campaign or put up posters of their chosen candidate, no matter how big.

“But they should not put stickers of their candidate on the list of candidates,” he said at the Asri Mat Isa Business Centre here.

Faisol was earlier seen confronting the guilty party — believed to be a group of PKR members from Kedah.

A total of 5,490 Perlis PKR members were eligible to vote for the party’s central and divisional leadership yesterday.

The election in Perlis was initially scheduled for Sept 23, but was postponed due to a glitch in the e-voting system.