PUTRAJAYA, May 26 — Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is sprucing up its general election machinery to face the 12th Sarawak state elections which is expected to be held at the end of next year or early 2021.
Its president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian would head the election machinery in the state assisted by party secretary general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution and three vice-presidents Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Tian Chua and Ali Biju.
‘‘They will embark on their tasks as soon as possible drawing up strategies, holding consultations with component parties and preparing a machinery which can give an effective foundation of struggle to face the state elections,’’ he told a media conference after chairing a PKR Central Leadership Council meeting here today.
At the 11th state elections, Barisan Nasional won 72 of the 82 state seats contested, DAP won seven and PKR won three (Batu Lintang, Krian and Ba’kelalan).
He said the meeting also discussed the position of Sungai Siput Member of Parliament, Kesavan Subramaniam who allegedly sexually harassed a woman, who was his former aide.
Anwar said PKR viewed the allegation seriously and urged the police to continue their investigation on the case.
‘‘We will wait for the outcome of the investigation and subsequently act if necessary,’’ he said.
Recently, a woman lodged a police report claiming that she was a victim of sexual harassment by Kesavan, but the latter also lodged a police report claiming that the woman often disturbed him.
On the protest against a breaking-the-fast programme of the Keadilan Youth movement in Ampang yesterday, which was feted like a festival with songs and fireworks, Anwar apologised and had urged the PKR wing to overcome the weakness.
“I have sternly warned them to respect the month of Ramadan and abstain from carrying out events which deviated from Islam,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar said PKR protested against the United States’ (US) provocative action against Iran and urged international bodies especially the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency session to ease the tension which could lead to war.
‘‘PKR urges Malaysia to state its firm stand by rejecting provocation and threats of war to all Islamic nations under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which will hold its summit in Mecca on May 31,’’he said.
It was reported that the US would be sending 1,500 more soldiers to the Middle East as a ‘‘protective measure’’ following the escalating tension with Iran, said President Donald Trump on Friday. — Bernama
