PETALING JAYA, May 21 — Additional PKR branches will see new balloting over allegations of vote fraud and complaints of violence, with the party announcing today that 35 locations will undergo fresh polls.

Datuk Johari Abdul, head of the party’s election body, revealed that most of the affected branches are from Selangor and Sabah — two key states in the contest for the deputy presidency that in itself has also been tarnished by claims of corruption.

“The re-election will be done in 35 branches, while for 22 branches voting will be done at all levels... we have identified areas of weaknesses which need improvement,” he said during a press conference at the party’s headquarters here.

Yesterday, a group of PKR members staged a protest in front of the party’s main office here to demand the leadership hold fresh elections following mounting claims of irregularities.

“We can tell that they are outsiders from the colour of their shirts,” Johari said, adding that the incidents were caught on video and that the party’s disciplinary body had studied the recordings.

The PKR leader conceded,  however, that some of the violence involved party members.

“The political bureau decided last night to sack those found to have been physically involved in the incidents,” Johari revealed.

Fifteen members have been sacked following the altercations, according to a statement posted on the party’s Facebook page today.

Last week PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim defended the party’s chaotic elections, blaming “gangsters” infiltrating the party for the irregularities that have forced the it to abandon voting at 27 branches and indefinitely delay the poll results.

Anwar said that these groups of people were deliberately brought into the party to cause “mischief”, and that PKR’s election committee had video and photographic evidence to back these claims.

But it is unclear how the alleged troublemakers were responsible for the litany of complaints that have surrounded the party’s second ever direct elections, which include claims of ballot tampering and ballot stuffing, among others.

Malik Husin, head of the party’s elections complaints committee, said PKR is now conducting “hearings” for members or candidates to submit their complaints about the polls.

“We are listening to them,” he told the same press conference in response to claims that the party was ignoring the concerns raised by  members about its polling process.

Despite all the problems, Johari again insisted that PKR’s direct party polls is a success.

“Are there problems? Yes. But I love it. To see droves of people wanting to participate in the polling process. This gives us strength and show we are ready to face Umno and Barisan Nasional,” he said.

Johari said PKR is expected to complete its direct elections before the fasting month of Ramadhan in July.

The party first introduced the current direct election system four years ago in a bid to enhance grassroots participation in the election process.