‘Avoid character assassination campaigns’
GEORGE TOWN: PKR members who will vote in the party election in September are reminded to be disciplined and not to be inclined to conduct character assassination campaigns.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said PKR practised an open political culture and party members were free to support and elect their candidates who are contesting in the party election.
“They are free to give their support and inclination but they must maintain discipline so as not to carry out campaigns based on character assassination or extreme allegations and accusations,” he told reporters after officiating at the Food Bank programme in Sungai Dua Tesco Extra here yesterday.
He also advised party members to make their decision based on the contesting candidates’ commitment to the party struggles as well as their contribution on ideas and creativity.
The PKR election will be held for nine weeks from September and August 5 is the nomination of candidates wishing to contest for posts in the Central Leadership Council. The PKR polling process is held based on zones and it involves 900,000 members who are eligible to vote.
To date, PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed his intention to contest the party’s presidency currently being held by his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also deputy prime minister while party vice-president Rafizi Ramli has offered to contest the post of deputy president currently being held by Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Meanwhile when asked on Umno’s statement announcing it was not contesting in the Seri Setia state by-election so as to give way to PAS, Saifuddin Nasution said it was good and indicated a direction towards a two-party system in the country.
He said the Pakatan Harapan government needed a strong opposition block to carry out a check-and-balance in nation-building.
The Seri Setia state seat fell vacant following the death of its assemblyman Prof Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin on Thursday while the Sungai Kandis state seat fell vacant following the death of its incumbent Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei of lymphoma cancer on July 2.
Both assemblymen were from PKR. — Bernama