KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Compared to its past gatherings, this year’s PKR special congress appeared a focused but tame affair with delegates talking about ways to improve national unity for stability.
Their speeches were bereft of the spit and venom against political rivals. Perhaps because PKR is back to being a ruling party in the federal government, but even the delegates recognised that the hold on power can shift and change at any given time.
Delegates were also mindful of the upcoming elections in six states, only half of which the Pakatan Harapan coalition PKR belongs to, currently controls.
Penang delegate Amir Md Ghazali said it was important that the party grassroots understands and helps strengthen PKR’s newfound cooperation with its former political rivals in the Barisan Nasional component parties now that both coalitions are partners in the federal government.
“We have to be given a direction from the central leadership on the cooperation between Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional before facing the upcoming state elections,” he said.
Sabah delegate Zaidi Jatil echoed Amir and spoke about the need to forge unity for the new political alliance to survive a full five-year election term for the country’s stability.
“We have to strengthen the cooperation within the unity government component parties. I know that this is not a government fully helmed by PH leaders but formed by cooperation with other parties.
“So to maintain the stability, the people have to feel this change or reform,” Zaidi said.
Representing the party's women wing, Sandrea Ng lauded the government's effort to amend the Federal Constitution so that children born overseas to Malaysian mothers can finally get automatic Malaysian citizenship.
"With great joy, I would like to welcome such progressive steps that help eliminate gender discrimination. I hope that this amendment will be carefully considered and accepted by all parties involved," she said, addressing 1,660 party delegates and 2,561 observers at the congress.
She also urged the government to take this opportunity to further open education and health access for children without citizenship or who are in the process of applying for citizenship.
"This becomes an important foundation in the context of the Madani Malaysian philosophy that elevates human dignity and upholds justice," Ng added.
