PKR in jeopardy?
(The Sun Daily) – Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) faces the possibility of being deregistered if it allows former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli to contest the deputy president’s post in the coming party election.
A party source said Rafizi claims to have been given special permission by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to contest in the polls.
“But no one has seen this so-called letter that Rafizi claims to have received. If he has such a letter, he must show it or publish it for everyone to see.
“Party regulations do not allow a person who has been convicted to contest in party elections but this has not stopped Rafizi from contesting,” the source said.
The source, who is a senior member in the party, said the party’s central election committee has not come out with a statement on whether party regulations have been breached.
He said by remaining silent, the committee is putting the party at risk.
They must act fast to protect the party’s interests and not that of an individual.
“Many questions are being asked by party members as to why Rafizi has been given this special treatment. Why is RoS giving him the kid gloves treatment.
“Party members wonder whether the RoS has received some kind of ‘special instruction’ to allow Rafizi to contest in the party election. Some are also questioning why the RoS is interfering in the party polls,” the source said.
The source said Rafizi has double convictions – in 2016 he was sentenced to 18 months in jail by the sessions court for unauthorised possession of the 1MDB audit report and exposing it to the media, and early this year to 30 months’ jail for exposing bank accounts related to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) and its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail.
The source said Article 48(1)(e) of the Federal Constitution states that an MP is disqualified if sentenced to jail for a year or more or fined RM2,000 and above and has not received a pardon, and this applies equally to party polls.
The source said during the party’s political bureau meeting, the issue of those convicted by a court not being allowed to contest in the party polls was discussed and they decided that those who have been convicted will be barred.
In the case of party president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the source said he was allowed to contest because he had been pardoned by the King.
The senior member said this was a recipe for disaster for the party because anyone can take legal action against the party for breaching its own rules and this could eventually lead to the party being de-registered.
“Members are wondering why PKR’s top leadership has remained silent, are they willing to put the party in jeopardy by giving Rafizi special treatment,” added the source.
At press time, the RoS and Rafizi have failed to respond to queries over the allegations that have been made.
