| PKR CONGRESS The issue continues to simmer through today’s debates, with calls for continued investigation into all complaints.
As expected, the recently concluded party election was still on the delegates' minds and was a major feature in the debates during the PKR annual congress today.
While many have called for the party to close ranks now that the election has come to an end, several delegates are still putting a spotlight on the allegations of malpractice and irregularities that had surfaced.
pkr congress 271110 zulkifli ibrahimPerak delegate and state information chief Zulkifli Ibrahim questioned the impartiality of the central elections committee (CEC) appointed by the party secretariat.
“Is the CEC truly fair and independent, and not controlled by people in the leadership? Will they really investigate each and every complaint, or will it just end up under the table?
“If the results of the investigations are not followed up to the complainants, then they're not free nor fair,” he said during the debate.
Zulkifli declared that he loved the party and will defend it to the world's end if it was truly a fair party, but cautioned that PKR's survival depends on whether the allegations raised can be clarified.
“Even now that the party elections have ended, the party leadership should continue probing the claims,” he said, recounting how his own complaints have not been attended to.
“Leaders are also now too busy to go down to the ground. They are even too busy to answer phone calls. Three years is not too long a term. If they refuse to buck up, we will know what to do with them,” he said.
pkr congress 271110 crowdZulkifli also gave a wake up call that the party has strayed from the agenda of reformation.
“The party is not for (Anwar Ibrahim) or whoever. The sentiments regarding PKR is low due to promises unfulfilled,” he said.
“PKR leaders call for reformasi but the party has failed to reform unlike BN parties which are now reforming, evident from BN's recent wins in several by-elections. We are at the risk of losing the states we won in the last general election.”
Zulkifli had been one of the key figures in raising the alarm bells on the electoral process in Perak - where its liaison chairperson Mustaffa Kamil Ayub was in running for deputy presidency - even issuing an ultimatum for the party to stop the polls immediately.
'Cap campaign expenditure'
Meanwhile Youth delegate Lee Khai Loon - known to be aligned to Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin - was gentler in his reprimand.
um pro-m talk 05022010 03 lee khai loon“Although there were many positive aspects from our first ever direct elections which we have to give credit for, a lot problems have risen for the voters and candidates,” said Lee during his speech.
“This is important, we have to reflect and find the best solution in implementing an even better election in the future.”
He outlined several suggestions for the party leadership, among which was a campaign expenditure cap for candidates.
“For example, the presidential candidate should spend not more than RM200,000 in campaigning. We need to put ceiling costs on things and this will lessen the money politics,” he said.
He also said that all of the candidates should be made to sign an integrity pact.
“I know that some people know not follow the pact even if their signature is on it. But this should serve as a reminder to be honest,” he said.
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