Constitutional changes for PKR

ARCHIVES 2009

By admin-s On Jun 10, 2009

By Deborah Loh (The Nut Graph)

Sweeping changes to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)'s constitution, including direct elections for the top leadership and a nine-year limit on the presidency, will be voted on this Saturday, 13 June, at a special congress.

Another key amendment that will be put to a vote is a 30% quota for women leaders at the central, state and division levels, making it likely to be the first party from either the Pakatan Rakyat or the Barisan Nasional to attempt to do so.

There will also be a resolution to amend the party constitution to reduce the age limit for Angkatan Muda Keadilan (Youth wing) members from 40 to 35.

Direct elections

PKR communications director Jonson Chong said that having direct elections would be significant for the Malaysian political landscape.

Chong (Courtesy of Jonson Chong)

The amendment, he noted, would see PKR break away from the norm, whereby party leaders are elected by a limited number of delegates.

"All party members will be given a chance to vote directly for their leaders at national and division level to make the process more democratic and also to discourage money politics," said Chong, who is also a supreme council member, in a phone interview with The Nut Graph.

The only leaders who will not be elected are state PKR leaders, but there are changes proposed to their appointment process.

Chong said state party chiefs were currently appointed by the party president after a "loose consultation" with a few division chiefs in that state.

The proposed amendment would require the president to hold a formal meeting to consult with all division chiefs in a state.

PKR's next internal elections are due in 2010. Chong said this gave the party a year to organise logistics for direct elections. A nationwide polling structure involving election officers at division, state and national levels is in the works.