AZMIN: LISTEN TO GRASSROOTS
Don’t ignore doubtful practices, leaders told
PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali has lashed out at the lack of transparency in the party’s election, labelling it as akin to ignoring the voices of the PKR grassroots.
He told PKR leaders not to be “arrogant and drunk on power” to the extent that they turn a blind eye to doubtful practices.
PKR leaders, he said, should listen to and comply with the wishes of the grassroots who have expressed concern over the lack of transparency in the election process, especially the Julau division in Sarawak.
“We had urged for the Julau division election to be postponed until the electoral roll is cleaned up. As part of the reform movement, party leaders should be prepared to listen to the grouses of the grassroots.
“Don’t be so arrogant and conceited until you are willing to push through an election process that lacks transparency, all because you wish to side with certain groups,” he told the New Straits Times Press after officiating Karnival Gemilang 2018 at SK Taman Melawati 2 here yesterday.
Azmin was asked to comment on remarks by PKR central leadership council member R. Sivarasa, who had raised questions over the discrepancies in the Julau PKR election, which registered a drastic rise in membership over a short period of time.
Sivarasa, in a statement, said among 6,474 of the 13,178 new additions to the party, 5,018 could not be reached to confirm their membership.
The 1,310 who did answer their phones, he claimed, admitted they had no knowledge of ever joining PKR. 237 of them said while they were interested in joining PKR, they never registered.
Controversy was also triggered when PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail made a visit to Julau last Tuesday, leading to accusations that she appeared to be canvassing support for Rafizi Ramli, who is up against Azmin for the deputy presidency.
Dr Wan Azizah, however, maintained that she was there in her capacity as deputy prime minister and not to support any candidate.