KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called for calm among members unhappy with the results of their internal party election so far.
He promised an independent audit into their complaints of the voting process and urged them to be patient.
He also advised his party members not to “learn from the deceits of other parties”, though he did not name them.
“Referring to the election of the new PKR leadership, as I had emphasised, I see it as a positive one. There is a clear message that there needs to be a new leap to bring more positive changes.
“However, as a party of the people's movement, there must be a spirit of embracing all strengths. We have never wavered from this principle.
“For reformasi to be implemented, it must have the strength, the support of the people,” he said in a video message posted on Facebook.
He said the PKR election committee chaired by Zaliha Mustafa is aware of the complaints and will investigate the allegations of violations, and asked members to give them time.
He said that an independent audit company has been engaged to look into the issue as well after the election committee completed its tasks, adding that it should not take long as the party has to prepare for the next general election due next year but which is speculated will be called early.
“So this is our strength as a party. If we talk about transparency, about integrity, let us not learn from the deceits of other parties which are not courageous. Mention forensic audit and they are scared already. We are not. If there is, we shall look into it,” Anwar said.
The Port Dickson MP did not explicitly name the other parties.
But he has repeatedly called for a forensic audit to be carried out on financially troubled oil-and-gas operator Sapura Energy Bhd.
Anwar said that the audit team has asked for more time to conduct its scrutiny, and that the PKR central leadership has agreed to postpone the party's congress to July 15.
The PKR election committee received over 200 complaints as of last month about rule violations during its party polls this year.
Elections in Selangor, the state with the most PKR members, took place on May 21 while Perak, Sabah and Sarawak voted on May 22.
Apart from physical voting, online voting was also done through the ADIL application which was implemented from May 18 to May 20.
