Proposal To Abolish Decision To Let New PKR Members To Contest will Be Discussed - Anwar

JOHOR BAHRU, May 23 (Bernama) -- The proposal to abolish the power of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president to allow new members to contest in general and party elections will be discussed further at a party meeting, said PKR president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"We (will) raise (the proposal) at the meeting because my decision that day was made at the MPP (Central Leadership Council) meeting and I said I don't want to make it difficult (for the members who are contesting).

"That's why when the headquarters sent (the list of candidate applications) to me, I approved all. If I had approved part (of the list), and not the other part, there would then be problems… So, everything that reached my desk after being scrutinised by the headquarters, whether they were bankrupt or had misconduct issues, I approved them all. So, for me, there is no issue,” he said.

Anwar told reporters this after fulfilling his responsibility by casting his vote in person in the party's central leadership election at the Berjaya Waterfront Hotel here today.

Also present were PKR Advisory Council chairman Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; PKR secretary-general Dr Fuziah Salleh, who is also the Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living; and Central Election Committee chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, who is also the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories).

Previously, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli had suggested that the power granted to the party president, which allows new members to contest in elections, be abolished to prevent the party from being flooded by opportunists who are more interested in positions or political gain than in genuine struggle.

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Meanwhile, asked about Rafizi's presence at tonight's launch of the PKR National Congress, Anwar said he expects the Economy Minister to be present in his capacity as the party's deputy president.

"I'm only assuming because he is the deputy president (as) he also attended the Cabinet meeting. He carried out his duties as usual, like presenting the paperwork, (and) commenting,” he said.

-- BERNAMA