SUNGAI PETANI: PKR is courting trouble if it continues to sideline its senior members and incumbents when it finalises its list of candidates for the general election.
Former Kedah PKR Youth head Zamil Ibrahim claimed he was informed that PKR will be opting for a topnotch line-up of personalities to avoid defections, moles or overly ambitious characters.
But on the same note, there are now fresh accusations of cronyism in the selection process, he alleged.
“I am overhearing accounts that this person’s friend was selected as he is rich, or that leader’s uncle was chosen because he arranged ceramah sessions. The only problem is, such persons have only joined PKR three years ago. What about the senior ones?” he asked.
He said professionals and the young are being selected to contest at the expense of some incumbents, who are viewed as meek, or senior members, who have been with PKR for more than a decade.
It is believed that these professionals ranging from doctors to technocrats also enjoy the financial leverage to help the party in an event that Pakatan Rakyat only secures a simple or slim majority in the parliament or state levels.
Candidates who are not easily “tempted” are highly sought by PKR.
To this, Zamil urged Anwar Ibrahim as the de facto leader of PKR not to compromise on loyalty and seniority in selecting the candidates.
“While it is laudable to field professionals, at the same time PKR must give recognition to senior members, who have proven their capabilities and loyalty in the last five years when PKR was strong.
“Do not repeat the same mistakes of Barisan Nasional, which once advocated cronyism or nepotism in selecting candidates,” he declared.
Zamil, who is pursuing the prospect of contesting on a Kita party ticket, claimed that in Kedah, most of its incumbents could be replaced by individuals seen by the leadership as “more refined” compared to the present batch.
PKR, he said, was not born in 2008, it was formed 10 years ago from the ashes of Anwar’s controversial sacking from Umno.
“Many average folks including me rushed to join Anwar’s party then because we felt that an injustice was committed towards him. Later, we found out that we are the ones who are being mistreated,” he added.
Loyalty is ignored
PKR’s top leadership has simply ignored seniority and loyalty, thus the defection of several leaders since 2008, he added.
Zamil dismissed claims that those who left PKR were engineered by Umno, saying the latter would be bankrupt if it has to buy every single disgrunted member of PKR.
In reality, every political party has unsatisfied members as nobody has the clout to please everyone, he stressed.
However in PKR, the number of those upset is growing as the leadership has not manage the aspirations of the majority.
For example, Zamil alleged that Johor had a thriving PKR machinery since 2004, but Anwar weakened it by selecting Chua Jui Meng, who was previously from MCA to helm the state.
“An outsider with practically no knowledge of PKR, is given a post just because he was an ex-federal minister. Is this fair to those who have been slaving for years?” he asked.
Zamil goes on to claim that Johor PKR is riddled with infighting to the extent that it has spread to its partner DAP.
He was referring to the recent spat between DAP and PKR in the state.
Kedah is a frontline state in the next election with PKR paying attention to it by declaring early that its secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is contesting the Kulim and vice-president
N Surendran, the Padang Serai parliament seats.
To this, Zamil said pending approval from the Registrar of Societies, Kita plans to contest eight seats including six state and two parliament.
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