PKR says it needs time to consult members on polls

(MMO) – PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said her party requested time to consider DAP’s proposal for snap polls in Penang as it needed to obtain feedback from its members.

She said party leaders will meet on Tuesday to discuss the matter further, but stressed that any decision should be made jointly by Pakatan Harapan.

“We have asked from him (Lim Guan Eng) more time so we can deliberate because it is going to be on the basis of Pakatan Harapan to have the snap polls. We are still in the process of actually meeting and discussing,” she told reporters when met at her open house here today.

Dr Wan Azizah also said PKR will engage with its grassroots to gauge their sentiment on the proposed poll.

Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said the meeting on Tuesday will be to share with the rest of the PKR leadership the reasons given by DAP during a meeting between both parties in Penang earlier this week.

“The chief minister has informed us about the intention of having the state elections and I will inform my supreme council members on Tuesday and we will discuss further about this,” the PKR deputy president said.

DAP has claimed that the snap polls were needed to secure control of Penang for another five years while Lim is still able to lead the campaign.

Lim was charged with abuse of power and corruption at the Penang High Court last month over the alleged approval of a rezoning application by Magnificent Emblem to convert agricultural land to residential and over his purchase of his RM2.8 million house from businesswoman Phang Li Koon at below market value of RM4.27 million.

The Penang chief minister has responded to calls for him to step down or aside during his corruption trial by saying he would leave the decision to the voters through the snap polls.

In the last few days, Lim is insisting that state elections should be held to “protect the people of Penang” as he is certain that he will be jailed.