PUTRAJAYA — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) will not postpone its first-ever elections which must be held this year, Bersatu chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
Dr Mahathir, who is the prime minister, said the elections must be held because appointed leaders are now running the party.
“The present administration is made up of appointed leaders; sometimes they are not successful in growing the party,” he told a news conference after launching the Rural Development Policy at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here.
Dr Mahathir responded to a question on a news portal report today that Bersatu is considering postponing its first-ever elections to resolve the registration of several branches.
The report said the party elections have to be postponed to ensure that all branches are registered in compliance with the Societies Act 1966.
Asked about the unhappiness of the family of Pastor Raymond Koh on the composition of the task force set up to probe the disappearance of the pastor and social activist Amri Che Mat, Dr Mahathir said the government is not able to satisfy all parties.
“Some people will be happy, some people will not be happy. I cannot guarantee the satisfaction of all people involved. They will look into any complaint and improve,” he said.
Pastor Koh’s wife Susanna Liew reportedly claimed that the government had ignored the family’s suggestion to have in the task force representatives from the Bar Council, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and an NGO.
Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday announced the members of a six-member task force headed by former High Court Judge Datuk Abd Rahim Uda to investigate the disappearance of Pastor Koh and Amri.
— BERNAMA
