‘Airbnb members’ a symptom of PKR election committee’s lax oversight, Rafizi tells Dr Zaliha and Fuziah

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has openly criticised the party’s election committee, led by Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, for what he described as its failure to tackle serious irregularities in the party’s internal election process.

Speaking at the Yang Bakar Menteri: Yang Berhenti Menteri programme in Seri Kembangan last night, Rafizi expressed frustration over the committee’s alleged inability to screen candidates effectively, including individuals from other political parties who he claimed had managed to contest in PKR’s divisional elections.

“I have long raised this concern within the party. My worry is that when we are in power, people scramble to join because we’re too eager to accept new members,” he was quoted as saying by The New Straits Times (NST) today.

“Some of these individuals are what I call ‘Airbnb members’. They join during election season and disappear afterwards.”

Rafizi said he felt compelled to voice his concerns publicly, even if it risked friction within the party.

“I have to call this out. If the committee or (Dr) Zaliha is unhappy, so be it. This is their responsibility. It is supposed to be an independent body that screens everything,” he was quoted as saying.

According to NST, he criticised the lack of response to objections raised by party members, pointing out that complaints were often ignored or acknowledged only after elections had concluded.

“When objections are raised, they must respond to each one. Sometimes there are hundreds of objections that go unanswered. When we ask about them, they pretend not to know,” he added.

“And only after all the divisional elections are done do they open up for objections. By then, people are already angry.”

Rafizi, who is also Economy Minister, also placed blame on PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh for failing to block non-members — including individuals from Umno — from contesting.

“Membership issues fall under Fuziah. Objections related to outsiders contesting are within the secretary-general’s jurisdiction. She must act, and so must election committee,” he said.

Calling for sweeping reforms, the report said Rafizi emphasised that the party’s election process needed urgent overhaul, especially in terms of how objections are handled.

“Whoever becomes the next election committee chair must realise how heavy the responsibility is. You are the frontline defence of the party,” he was quoted as saying.

“When the grassroots file complaints, don’t take them lightly. I believe those who lodge objections do so out of love and concern for the party.”

He also called for more resources to be allocated to the committee to ensure objections are properly processed.

“The chair must scrutinise properly and request evidence when there are complaints. If the committee can’t handle all of them, at least filter as many as possible,” he said.

“If that means adding more members to the committee to handle objections, then do so, otherwise, it’s like crying over spilt milk.”

Rafizi was responding to a question from the floor regarding claims that members of Umno and Pejuang had contested and even won positions in PKR’s divisional elections.