Rantau polls: Rafizi overqualified — Anwar
SHAH ALAM: PKR presidentelect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said yesterday the name of PKR Pandan Division chief Mohd Rafizi Ramli has been brought up as a possible candidate for the possible Rantau state by-election in Negeri Sembilan.
However, he added that Mohd Rafizi was far more qualified than to contest a state seat.
“He as an Adun (state assemblyman)? I’m sure he is more qualified than that. But Rafizi’s name was mentioned (as a candidate),” he told a press conference after the opening of the PKR National Congress 2018 here.
The Special Election Court ruled yesterday that Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan’s unopposed victory in Rantau in the 14th General Election (GE14) is null and void and that a by-election should be held immediately.
Mohamad, who is Umno deputy president, was declared the winner after PKR candidate Dr S. Streram was denied entry to submit his nomination form on April 28 because he had no pass issued by the Election Commission (EC).
Commenting further, Anwar said it is not impossible for the original candidate, Dr Streram, to be replaced with another candidate as the proper process has to be followed and decided by the party’s leadership.
“The process (of naming candidates) is from the division, then to the state and from the political bureau to the president.”
Commenting on an inquiry into alleged money politics and sabotage on the ‘e-ballot’ system used in the PKR elections, Anwar said the investigation is ongoing.
He said several quarters, including the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Royal Malaysia Police are investigating the allegations.
“(The) party is not stopping the investigation because members and leaders made the allegations or reports. What’s more important is for MCMC to go through the entire electoral process in terms of e-voting, how personal votes disappeared, this is for the MCMC to investigate.
“The MACC will have to investigate the alleged corruption, they have 40, 50 reports, and also police reports, we will give our full cooperation,” he said.
Anwar also advised candidates to accept the election results with an open heart as the party’s leadership has decided to accept the decision despite several requests for a re-election in several divisions in Sabah and Sarawak.
“In the case of Julau and Tawau (divisions), I suggest, let’s move on and accept the decision. I concede there are serious limitations and weaknesses. I do concede but the party leadership has approved and we have to move on because, otherwise, we have (to go through) another three months to carry out the electoral process again,” he said. - Bernama