PKR to hold new polls for six divisions .

By Yow Hong Chieh

PETALING JAYA, Jan 9 – PKR will hold direct elections again for six of its divisions affected by “chaos” during the party’s first-ever direct elections in November, the PKR secretary-general has said.
Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today that polling results for Kuala Langat, Kapar, Klang and Subang in Selangor, Jerai in Kedah and Batu Sapi in Sabah had been declared invalid by the party’s election committee owing to “various factors”.
“The central leadership council (MPP) has instructed the [three] state committees to fix a date for direct elections at these divisions,” he told reporters at PKR headquarters here today.
“When the dates have been fixed by the state committees, the election committee will discharge their responsibilities accordingly.”
Saifuddin Nasution also said the complaints lodged during direct elections in Kelana Jaya and Semporna divisions would be resolved by Saturday.
PKR’s shambolic first direct elections were marred by allegations of fraud and irregularities. This caused former Federal Territories PKR chief Datuk Zaid Ibrahim to withdraw from the deputy presidential race and eventually leave the party.
Saifuddin Nasution also announced state-level and central leadership council appointments as decided by the party today.
Rosli Abdullah from Terengganu will replace Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard, who turned down the deputy secretary-general post over what he said was the leadership’s failure to investigate party election fraud claims in a timely fashion.
Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian, who was appointed vice president last month, has also stepped down in order to focus on upcoming state elections. He will be replaced by fellow Sarawakian, Datuk John Tenewi Nuek.
Nuek will be joined by new state chiefs Wan Salleh Wan Isa in Kedah, Dr Mohd Nor Manuty in Perak, Azan Ismail in Terengganu, Abdul Aziz Kadir in Kelantan, Pajuddin Nordin in Sabah and Dr Idris Ahmad for the Federal Territories.
Datuk Mansor Othman will lead PKR in Pulau Pinang and Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin in Melaka.
Datuk Chua Jui Meng continues as Johor PKR chief while Azmin Ali, Johari Shafie, Datuk Fauzi Abdul Rahman, Datuk Kamarul Bahrin Abbas remain state PKR chiefs for Selangor, Perlis, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan respectively.
Low Chee Chong will take the deputy treasurer-general post while Syed Hamid Ali, S. Manickavasagam, Zulrusdi Mohamad Hol, Mohd Rafie Abdul Malek, See Chee How and Chang Li Kang were appointed as central leadership council members.