PETALING JAYA, March 23 — Former Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah will contest as a PKR candidate in the 14th general election.
While the party welcomed her into its fold today, its leaders declined to say if the activist will be made to join as a member.
PKR leaders also said that it has earmarked a seat for Maria, but did not elaborate further.
“I feel overwhelmed to announce that, today, she (Maria) is part of the PKR family and God willing, we will hear some wedding bells this election,” Nurul Izzah Anwar, a party vice-president, said.
“I think it is a really important and pivotal moment for us because, in PKR, we always prioritise our position of women, and having someone like Maria representing civil society will make sure the ideals of the reform agenda remain intact.”
Nurul Izzah’s remarks prompted a flurry of questions about the conditions set for Maria to receive the party berth and if she will be considered a party member.
However, Pakatan Harapan (PH) chief secretary Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah stepped in to clarify that, for the moment, PKR and Maria were simply sharing the logo.
“You all know to win an election as an independent is next to impossible. So it’s a logo we choose to work together under. It’s as easy as that,” he said, with Maria agreeing.
The activist then said her goal was to win the seat she is given so that she may bring her reform agenda directly to Parliament.
She added that her agenda was consistent with both the PH election manifesto and the Federal Constitution.
Maria then stressed the need for courage in the pursuit of a better society.
The prominent activist resigned as Bersih 2.0 chairman after revealing that she had been tapped to contest the general election.
Maria previously insisted she would not join any party, saying she must remain independent to further her reform agenda.
She also demanded a federal seat, saying she could not pursue the needed reforms as a state lawmaker.
