Stop the abuse fast or lose public trust, PKR warned
By Athi Shankar, Free Malaysia Today
GEORGE TOWN: Any prolonged delay by PKR in tackling the alleged electoral malpractices that marred several divisional polls would result in severe loss of electorate’s confidence, an academician warned here today.
Political scientist Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia called on the PKR election steering committee (ESC) to immediately address the allegations and take steps to prevent such malpractices from spreading to the upcoming party national polls.
If this was not done, Sivamurugan said it would result in serious erosion of confidence among its own 400,000 members and the public in the party’s ability to lead the country in the future.
He also warned that if the current trend of party divisional elections were to continue to its supreme council polls, it would result in executive powers being centralised in the hands of the small elite and their cronies.
He said electoral malpractices were the result of factionalism in the top leadership.
He alleged that the teaming up of PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim with vice-president Azmin Ali to monopolise party powers had given rise to electoral abuses.
Sivamurugan said most of the “victims” affected by such underhand tactics, especially in the northern states, seemed to be potential supporters of deputy presidential aspirant Zaid Ibrahim.
It’s learnt that the “victims” from the affected divisions – Bayan Baru and Tasek Gelugor in Penang, and Sungai Petani, Bukit Selambau and Jerai in Kedah – have attended a “meet the leader session- cum-dinner” organised by Zaid supporters in Sungai Petani a month ago.
Zaid was the main speaker that night.
Lack of organisational skills
PKR direct membership voting at the divisional polls has come under heavy criticism from various quarters due to rampant and blatant electoral malpractices, including vote rigging, cheating, and biasness of the election coordinating team.
Sivamurugan said given PKR’s much hyped crave for federal power in the next general election, the internal divisional and national polls presented an opportunity for the party to demonstrate its capability to rule the roost in the future.
But, he said allegations of electoral malpractices have given an impression that the party was not yet ready to be assigned federal duties by the voters.
“It exposed the party’s ill-preparation, lack of organisational skills and knowledge on its technical know-how, and immaturity of leaders and members.
“It also shows the lack of experience, neutrality, impartiality and independence of election duty officers.
“It was a case of PKR letting slip an opportunity to put the party in the forefront of reform,” he said.
Sivamurugan said the controversial Bayan Baru divisional polls on Sept 25 was a clear example of a party election that went wrong from start to finish, largely due to the incompetent the election coordinating team.
For instance, he said, Bayan Baru division has 5,495 eligible members but the election team brought only 800 ballot sheets, resulting in photocopied ballot papers being used.
Moreover, he asked how could the election team worked on assumptions and not facts.
“How can the election team assume that only 800 would turn up to vote when the division has over 5,000 members?
“That defeats the purpose of the one man-one vote system advocated by the party,” said Sivamurugan, the deputy dean of USM’s School of Social Sciences.
He added that allegations of polling abuse were serious because members were being denied their rights to a free, fair and transparent election.
He said contesting teams should also have self-regulated themselves to hold clean and fair elections.
