PETALING JAYA, Aug 10 — Some 400,000 PKR members will be voting in the party elections scheduled to be held between September 17 and November 21.
The party amended its constitution last year to allow all members to vote for divisional leaders and 25 members of the central leadership council, including the president, deputy president and four vice-presidents.
“Members whose applications have been approved by the central leadership council as of June 27 are eligible to contest and to vote,” said PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution at a press conference here.
He said the party’s 218 divisions would hold two separate meetings, one for the annual general meeting and election of divisional leaders and the second meeting would be convened to vote for national leaders.
The division would be voting for national leaders on weekends from October 29 to November 21.
The elections will be coordinated by a 10 member central election committee headed by Dr Molly Cheah.
The party had also appointed 150 election supervisors to oversee the process.
“We think the number is reasonable for us to deploy at every division,” said Saifuddin.
He said that party members who live far away from their divisions can also apply to cast their votes at the party headquarters.
When asked about the possibility of phantom members voting in the party election, Saifuddin it was very unlikely.
He also said that previous practice of electing divisions’ representatives to the national congress would continue.
“The difference is these delegates would not be voting at the congress,” said Saifuddin.
Meanwhile PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali who was also at the press conference said the party is ready to conduct the election which he described as historical.
“We have brief the divisions on the election process, not just once but several times,” said Syed Husin.
“It’s very historical, for the first time we are having direct election, where each member has the right to vote,” he added.
He said that official results of the party election would be announced at the national congress on November 28.
