PETALING JAYA, May 16 ― Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today became the latest PKR leader to defend its 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.
“What I am certain for now, as a fact is that non-members were involved.... in some divisions there were elements of gangsterism.
“Some new members were also brought in during the first few months of this year prior to the limitations of the March 15 deadline imposed by the election committee,” he told reporters at a news conference here.
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.
Despite the public spectacle that has forced the party to conduct a fresh round of voting at 27 branches nationwide, PKR has declared its election process a “success.”
The party is already postponing its original May 13 release of its party election results following weekly allegations of delays and voter manipulation since polling first started on April 26 last month.
Tensions flared after Anwar’s press conference as Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who was also present, was heckled outside the party headquarters by an individual claiming to be a PKR member.
The individual, who identified himself as Zulkifli Abdullah, a member from PKR’s Kuala Selangor division, called MB Khalid “corrupt” and a “liar”.
Khalid did not respond and immediately took off in his car.
Unofficial results show that incumbent Azmin Ali is currently leading the deputy presidency race, followed by MB Khalid and outgoing secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
