Azmin’s camp asks Rafizi to concede defeat

PETALING JAYA: PKR leaders aligned to party deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali have called on his rival Rafizi Ramli to concede defeat and for other members to close ranks in the face of a most bruising party elections.

Former Batu MP Tian Chua called on party members to reconcile and repair the party’s image.

In a statement, Chua, who is a party vice-president, said while PKR was courageous to adopt a system in which all members were given a say in determining the party’s leadership and policies, its intention was marred by shortcomings.

“At times, I was also embarrassed and saddened by the conduct at the elections, some of which were inexcusable, but I am relieved and glad the entire process is over and a new leadership line-up has been voted in,” he said.

Chua acknowledged that there were still issues to be resolved but advised members to “wind down” and start to reconcile.

“We must return to one family,” he said.

He said every party member has a heavy responsibility to fulfil including president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Controversial blogger Badrul Hisham Shaharin said in his Facebook post that Rafizi has become a laughing stock among IT professionals after he claimed that an app called “Prey” had compromised the e-voting process at the party’s Julau branch in Sarawak.

Badrul, also known as CheguBard, said Rafizi should accept defeat and move on instead of further embarrassing himself.

CheguBard also addressed the issue of a video allegedly spread by a candidate vying to be Tawau vice-division chief claiming to have a QR Code that would allow members to vote multiple times.

CheguBard, who described himself as a “former life-long PKR member”, also claimed that the candidate was a hardcore Rafizi supporter.

“If his claims are true, then Rafizi’s camp would have won big,” he said.

CheguBard believes that the person who recorded the video could have been conspiring with the QR code issuer at PKR headquarters to cook up a new excuse.

He said if the video was presented as evidence that the system could be manipulated, it could annul results of the current party election and also risk the party being de- registered by the Registrar of Societies.