Anwar Ibrahim lost his chance to prove that he had majority support of existing PKR members - as he was uncontested. If there was contest, at least doubts about the amount of support would have been erased. Even if one candidate, in some elections, there is still voting - and maybe even a condition that the unchallenged candidate needs at least 50% of the votes cast, failing which a re-election??? That will proof that an elected President really have majority support of its own party members...
PKR's constitution is flawed, as it gives the President way too much power. The President alone(not the elected National leadership) have the power to APPOINT a further 7 persons into the Central Leadership Committee, and 14 State leaders who will be in the Central leadership committee - i.e. 21 persons into the Central Leadership Committee. About 29, other than the President, used to come in by way of elections. Hence, if among the elected, there are a few 'totally loyal' to Anwar - will PKR be democratic. PKR's Constitution need reforms, and the now absolute power of the President should be shifted to the elected Central Leadership - see Anwar, PKR - Danger of becoming Autocratic and not Democratic? President just too much power?
Saifuddin Nasution was PKR's Secretary General - Who chose him? Well, the President of PKR did > not the elected National Leadership???
PKR Elections have been given way too much media attention of late, and one wonders why? Other party elections do not get as much attention... Most Malaysians are not bothered about who wins a political party's elections - unless what was exposed was the stance about national issues, that may affect our votes come GE15...
Parti Keadilan Rakyat(PKR) stands out as being a 'more democratic' party, as every MEMBER has 1 vote, and can vote in Party President and National Leadership, - most other parties do not give their member this right to vote > most party gives only 'delegates' the right to vote...sad...sad..I am for every member 1 vote, and the right to vote for party leadership.
PKR, a party that comes into being after the ouster of Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim by the then UMNO-BN government in 1998.
DOUBTS ABOUT PKR MEMBERSHIP?
A low turnout, with less than 13% of the party’s 1.1 million members coming out to vote in person or doing it online. Maybe, the number of real membership has declined significantly although PKR's membership register says 1.1 million. Or maybe, the remain members but no longer are interested??
PKR's support in Malaysia
How much support does PKR have amongst Malaysians? Well, that was difficult to ascertain as they have always in the past stood for elections as 'a coalition with some other parties' - making it difficult to ascertain whether the 'victory' of PKR member, under the coalition ticket, comes from support for PKR, or from support of other members of the coalition.
However, PKR elected to stand 'alone' and not as Pakatan Harapan for recent Johor State elections - and 7 of their candidates out of 20 contesting lost their deposit >> a most embarrassing situation for a party that was part of the Pakatan Harapan Plus who won after GE14 in 2018, at the Federal level and most of the States. Comparatively, the other Pakatan Harapan parties standing under the PH saw 4 candidates losing their deposits. DAP under PH won 10 seats, Amanah under PH banner won 1, and PKR under its own PKR banner won 1.
Apart from that, seven Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidates in the Sri Medan, Semarang, Tenggeroh, Pasir Raja, Johor Lama, Tanjung Surat and Benut constituencies also lost their deposits after failing to garner one-eighth or 12.5 per cent of the total votes counted..as well as four from Pakatan Harapan (PH) who were fielded in Endau, Panti, Sedeli and Penawar also lost their deposits. Star,13/3/2022
Can we say that it is DAP that has bigger voter pull factor in PH? Then Amanah, and last PKR?
PH Plus's loss of government post GE14 - whose fault?
Well, there was the betrayal of one PH party - BERSATU, and also the betrayal of MPs in PH, being Azmin(about 12 PKR MPs?), and some others >> PH Plus fell, and PN emerged as the new government. Opposition Coalitions of the future must be more careful in choosing their coalition partners, and these parties must be more careful about who their MP candidates are. We need credible principled persons to be selected as MP candidates - based also on past history/actions of fighting for justice/rights of the people >> do not simply choose those 'loyal' to leadership?
Why did the PKR MPs leave PKR remains a 'mystery'? Was it party in-fighting? Was it personal issues? Was it disagreements with Anwar? Political parties are like 'countries' - you do not leave because you dislike the leader > you can always lobby members and oust existing leaders come next party elections - the only acceptable reason is an issue of principle/value that leaves you no other choice. Even then, you can publicly state your personal position as being against party position, and still stay in the party...garnering more support amongst members towards changing a party position.
After GE-14, PH Plus parties lost a lot of credibility as they failed to bring about speedily the promised and needed reforms. Local elections, Equal government allocations for all MPs ending discrimination based on whether you are government or Opposition MPs, end of the practice of political appointees, capping salary/allowances of Directors/CEOs of GLCs, repealing Detention Without Trial laws, Sedition Act, Restoration of true freedom of association - the Societies Act, Trade Unions Act, University and University Colleges Acts, ... Some say that only thing that changed was new 'cronies', new political appointees, new groups of preferred contractorss, etc >>> so real REFORMASI never happened.
GE15 - What can we look forward to?
Pre-GE 14 - the call for CHANGE ...giving chance to an ALTERNATIVE government other than the only government Malaysians had since independence - that UMNO-led coalition, BN. The issues of 1MDB, kleptocracy, abuse of powers, corruption of PM, Ministers and their 'friends' was an issue. The good thing with a change of government was that Malaysians saw investigations and cases filed against the political elite(and their friends/families) - this was good.
PN came into power, first with a BERSATU PM, now an UMNO PM > and there seem to be not much interference in the cases of Najib, Zahid Hamidi(current UMNO President), etc - there has been some interference leading to discontinuation of come cases against some though. But, the main cases continue on, and the current executive has not been seen to be interfering ...
So, who will the Malaysian people vote for come GE15? What percentage have lost hope - not seeing any viable alternative party that will bring real reforms?
In the past, race and religion - and being the defender of people of a particular race or religion was an 'effective' voter attraction factor. Is the Malaysian voter more mature today, and are looking at more significant policies and issues.
FOOD PRICES RISING - would a return of PRICE CONTROL FOR BASIC FOOD/SURVIVAL items at all times. That was removed by an earlier BN government, and now what we have is an occasional price control usually during festivals...
No main political party has yet to guarantee FREE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE or even FREE EDUCATION until University level. This is basic.
Major problem arising with post-retirement survival - for other than public sector employees, Malaysia does not have a National Pension Scheme that will allow for some income for all until death...EPF scheme will not work, as EPF has repeatedly stressed that most of the EPF members do not have sufficient monies in their accounts to survive on until they die...at most, maybe enough for 4-5 years after retirement. [Government actions of allowing withdrawals from this 'old age savings' of workers has just reduced the monies available for old age. Which POLITICAL PARTY has a plan about this, and promise that they will do this and that? A National Pension Scheme, run by the government, is best. Private companies can at any time be wound-up, and is not safe.
Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) and several new parties have emerged - and do they have something better to offer? They must really STATE clearly what they will be fighting for ...and their position on the fundamental issues - HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, WELFARE, OLD-AGE WELFARE, DEMOCRACY - Local Government, Local Community, Senators, .., FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS, REFUGEE AND IMMIGRATION, TRADE & INTERNATIONAL TRADE, ENVIRONMENT, HOUSING, AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES, EMPLOYMENT - abolition of short-term contract for regular employment?, - saying that you would uphold the Constitution alone is simply lame...everyone in Malaysia upholds the constitution...
PKR elections - what really did the candidates even focus on? 'big tent' or 'small tent' approach to face GE - people do not care about this - what will you do if we vote you into power? What real changes will you bring about, different from what is?
PKR polls officially over, results to be announced next month
PETALING JAYA: The PKR election for the 2022-2025 term officially ended today, according to the party’s election committee (JPP), with the official results to be announced next month.
JPP head Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the polls ended following re-voting in 12 divisions in five states, namely Kedah, Terengganu, Sabah, Selangor and Kelantan.
However, she added, the unofficial results from all divisions will be posted on the PKR website from today.
“The official results will be announced at the PKR congress that will take place on June 25 and 26,” Zaliha said in a statement today, adding that the results would be final.
The party election that took place from May 13 until May 22 was marred by technical glitches that disrupted polling in eight divisions last weekend as well as allegations of phantom voters.
It also witnessed a low turnout, with less than 13% of the party’s
1.1 million members coming out to vote in person or doing it online. - FMT, 29/5/2022
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