Ansari, Thamrin in race to be Sabah PKR chief

By Luke Rintod of FMT
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah PKR has again split into two camps over who will lead the opposition party in the state. The battle this time is between incumbent Ahmad Thamrin Jaini and lawyer Ansari Abdullah.

It appears that Dr Jeffrey Kitingan is no more in the picture either by design or default but supporters of the wily politician are backing Thamrin for the post of state PKR chief.

When the state liaison committee met here for the first time last night after the party congress last month, Jeffrey was not even mentioned by divisional heads aligned to him, to be considered for the post .

A divisional head who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the majority of the 23 (out of 25) divisions represented, wanted incumbent Ahmad Thamrin Jaini to be retained.

No surprises in PKR’s final election results

PETALING JAYA: Gombak MP Azmin Ali has romped home in the race for the deputy presidency, garnering a majority of about 14,000 votes.

His sole challenger, Perak PKR chief Mustafa Kamil Ayub, is said to have obtained about 3,145 votes.
Party insiders said Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, Batu MP Tian Chua and Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh are likely to have won three of the four vice-presidencies.

The last VP post is said to be a tussle between Penang PKR chief Dr Mansor Othman, Selangor executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar and Padang Serai MP N. Gobalakrishnan.

The official results are not expected to be announced until the PKR Congress scheduled to be held here over the weekend. Polling for central positions closed yesterday.

Now Sabah PKR Liaison Secretary quits Party... Cites unhealthy and unabated politickings in PKR as reason

By Razlan Danial
Kota Kinabalu, SABAH: Sabah PKR State Liaison Secretary, Mursalim Tanjul, who is also the Party's divisional head for Kudat, has announced he is quitting PKR with immediate effect.

He cited dirty politickings within PKR as the main reason for his quitting.

Mursalim successfully retained his post as Kudat divisional head in the recent party polls.

He was the one who hit the headlines in local newspapers recently for being shoved and punched at Sandakan Airport by 30 supporters of PKR Batu Sapi divisional head Hassnar Ebrahim.

Now Sabah PKR Liaison Secretary quits Party...

Breaking News!

By Razlan Danial
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah PKR State Liaison Secretary, Mursalim Tanjul, who is also the Party's divisional head (Ketua Cabang) for Kudat, has announced he is quitting PKR with immediate effect. He cited dirty politickings within PKR as the main reason for his quitting.
Full report to follow-up after this...  

Broken Zaid withdraws from PKR's No 2 race

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim has announced his withdrawal from PKR's heated deputy presidency race. The decision was made following the failure by the party's leadership to address accusations of electoral discrepancies in the contest for the coveted post despite persistent complaints.

[Reaction: Anwar's and Wan Azizah's]
He has also resigned from all posts in the party. He is currently the party's head of Federal Territories, and a member of the powerful political bureau and supreme council. He was also tasked to oversee the formation of Pakatan Rakyat's common policy.
Zaid made the announcement via a statement released in his blog at about 3am today.

Apparently dejected, Zaid repeated his accusation that the party's top leadership is conspiring to ensure a victory for Azmin Ali, the party's vice-president and the leading contender for the post.

Azmin is said to be the favoured choice of PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim.

Zaid statement withdrawing from the race of PKR number 2 post !

I wish to announce my withdrawal as a candidate from the contest of Deputy President of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and my resignation from all posts held in the party.

I was offered to join this party under the belief that I could promote enlightened and progressive politics; nurture and develop principled political values and culture that I consider indispensable to the development of democracy and good governance in this country. I was mistaken.

Over the course of the party elections, events have shown that the leadership actively condones malpractices and electoral fraud to achieve its designed objectives. I am certain that any political party with such hypocritical and false values will not be able to offer meaningful reforms to the people of this country.

Kak Wan, what do you want me to do with these ballot papers?

In my ‘PKR, and its ballot papers, up for sale’ post yesterday, I had said that I was going to meet an individual last night who had contacted me to say that he was in possession of PKR ballot papers for use in the ongoing party elections, and that he would pass the same to me as evidence of his claim.

In fact, that meeting was scheduled to take place this afternoon, but the individual was extremely concerned that I would be followed and that he might be identified by ‘interested’ parties, and so, at his request, I said that the meeting was to take place last night.

I met him about an hour ago.

He was very nervous.

He showed me a stack of ballot papers. They comprised ballot papers for the post of Deputy Presidency, Vice Presidents and Majlis Pimpinan Pusat.

The ballot papers for the Deputy Presidency and Vice Presidents were all serialised whilst the one for the MPP were not.

He had about 100 copies of the ballot papers in all.

I asked if that was all he had.

He  replied that if I could wait, he could go back and meet me again later at another location with another 1,000 or more if I wanted.

I asked if I could have the 100 or so ballot papers that he had with him.

He offered to give me one of each provided I promised to blank out the serial numbers as he did not want to get any one into trouble.

I asked who those people might be.

He did not want to reply.

I asked him to explain to me how possession of these ballot papers might be used in the elections.
He explained that the central election committee returning officer could manipulate the list of members attending at the ongoing elections, where voter turnout is low, adjust it upwards and stuff additional ballot papers into the ballot box. Worse, it seems that at some elections, there is not even an attendance list to reflect the number of members attending to vote. This makes it even easier to stuff additional ballot papers into the ballot box.

PKR polls: Rivals upset with candidate's tactics

By FMT Staff
UPDATED KOTA KINABALU: As PKR members vote for national leadership for the second weekend today, supporters of deputy presidential candidates Zaid Ibrahim and Mustaffa Kamil Ayub are crying foul over the manner their rival Azmin Ali is conducting his campaigns.

“We are quite concerned with what's happening in Sabah today. We will see how things turn out before deciding what to do next,” said Firdaus Christopher, Zaid's special assistant.
The same sentiments were expressed by Mustaffa's men.

“We want the party to ensure that the election process is conducted in a just and fair manner. Right now that is not happening,” said an aide to Mustaffa.

The race for the deputy's post is fiercely contested among the three candidates. Vice-president Azmin, who has the backing of party supremo Anwar Ibrahim, is leading by about 500 votes over his closest challenger Zaid.

Azmin steals a march on rivals in Sabah

By Rahmah Ghazali and Fazy Sahir

PETALING JAYA: The battle to wrest the deputy presidency post went into a crucial stage today when Azmin Ali led the second round of party elections in Sabah, creating a neck-and-neck race with rival Zaid Ibrahim.

Azmin, who is now leading with 1,060 votes from eight divisions from the state, breezed through leaving behind his contender Zaid, who bagged 824 votes, with a majority of 236 votes.

Meanwhile, third contender Mustaffa Kamil Ayub lagged behind with only 40 votes.

Azmin's performance was impressive despite his “unpopularity” in Sabah after a fallout with several divisional leaders who demanded his removal as the party state chief last year.

All set for Azmin-Zaid showdown

PETALING JAYA: A showdown between Azmin Ali and Datuk Zaid Ibrahim in the PKR deputy presidential race in Sabah this weekend will have a far-reaching implications on party adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s influence in the state and Sarawak.

Pundits will be watching closely the PKR elections in Sabah scheduled today and tomorrow, as it would be a good indicator of Anwar’s “strength” in the state.

Party insiders said Anwar had been relentlessly campaigning for Azmin.

Ansari on the stump minus PKR heavyweights

By Luke Rintod of FMT
SANDAKAN: Sabah PKR's “numero uno” leader Jeffrey Kittingan has just taken two months leave from the party and his deputy Christina Liew is no where to be seen!
Sources said Jeffrey has decided to stay away from the embarrassing free-for-all PKR campaign in the Batu Sapi parliamentary by-election and Liew's whereabouts "is unknown".
Meanwhile, “embarrassing” is a mild word given the recent behaviour by Batu Sapi leaders.

PKR Batu Sapi newly-elected chief, Hassnar Ebrahim, is said to have made disparaging remarks against other PKR leaders, several times, including at state liaison meetings.

And the name calling against his own comrades has come back to haunt the Ansari Ibrahim's by-election campaign.

Many confirmed that Hassnar has been telling everybody that there are three PKR leaders whom he did not want campaigning in Sandakan.

The leaders he named are Awang Tangah Awang Amin, Awang Ahmad Sah Awang Sahari, and Jalumin Bayogo.

He had also reportedly said that Jeffrey was also not welcome.

Lawyer Darrel Leiking wins Penampang PKR top post by 90 votes majority

By Ezra Haganez
PENAMPANG: Lawyer Darrel Leiking, has won the top post of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in the Penampang division.

Darrel, son of a fomer BERJAYA assistant minister, Marcel Leiking, polled a convincing 325 votes, beating three other contenders namely Brett Chua, a son of CKS Supermarket founder, (235 votes), a dentist Dr Roland Chia (199) and Innocent Makajil (19).

Innocent however earlier had withdrawn from the poll amidst allegation of irregularities. He went on to lodge a police report here.

Interestingly, Darrel's father is an UMNO member in Penampang.

PKR, DAP, Enough Is Enough, Fight All You Want & Let The Third Force Arises !

By Richard Loh
PENANG: To Pakatan Rakyat leaders and elected representatives, please read through my blog postings and see how much I wanted change for Malaysia, relying on your promises and great efforts in wanting to march to Putra Jaya.

Political parties are trying to reach out to the fence sitters but PR is driving supporters to become fence sitters, how irony. I am almost up to my neck to become a graduated fence sitter even though I am a card carrying life member of DAP.

Something is very wrong with PKR, says UNKO veteran Lojingki

By Ezra Haganez
PENAMPANG: Something is not right with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), if the party's elections is of any barometer.

A veteran leader of the now-defunct UNKO, Fred Edwin Lojingki, 69, said the chaotic and sometimes violent nature of the PKR on-going polls in Sabah as well as in Semenanjung is a manifestation of bad political culture being promoted in the party.

"In my very long years in politics since the 1960's until now, both as activist and observer, i have never seen something like this where party election was so marred with violence, tampered with underhand tactics, being run under chaotic management.

WELL-LIKED LAWYER PETER MARAJIN JOINS SAPP

By Ezra Haganez
KOTA BELUD:A well-liked local lawyer here, Peter Marajin, who stood as independent candidate for Kadamaian state constituency in the 2008 general election, has joined Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

Marajin, a Dusun who hails from Kg Kinasaraban here, handed over his application form to SAPP President Datuk Yong Teck Lee at the party's well-attended function in Tamu Darat near here last night (September 30, 2010).

Earlier in his speech, Yong, welcomed Marajin into the party and hoped his entry will further strengthen SAPP, especially in Kadamaian and Kota Belud.

Message from William Leong, PKR Treasurer

Dear ALL,

This message below is directed to All Malaysians.

If you are not a Malaysian, then take it for information sake. Politics itself is not dirty, but it's people who make it dirty....so it depends on which side of the fence you are in. 

Thanks to W.F. Cheah for sharing this article by William Leong. William Leong is the treasurer of PKR and younger brother of ex minister, Paul Leong. Practising in law for 20 odd years before going into politics

PLEASE READ IF YOU CARE ENOUGH FOR YOUR KIDS' FUTURE 

All Malaysians are duty bound to help each other to achieve a better life in our country. With the performance of the UMNO/BN for the last 52 years, especially the last 28 years, the country has been raped by politicians and their cronies. You know how arrogant they are, let us have look.

Press Statement by an ex-deputy secretary of PKR on election fraud & underhand tactics in PKR polls

I, Jenapala a/l Perumal Subaan am holding this press conference to express my total disgust and extreme outrage at the rampant incidences of election fraud and underhanded tactics practiced by PKR party leaders Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Azmin Ali during the current party elections.

To show how serious I am of exposing these practices, I am committed to hold a press conference every Monday at this venue. For today, I will focus on five cases in particular.

Dr Jeffrey wins PKR top post in Pensiangan Division

By Ezra Haganez
PENSIANGAN: Maverick politician, PKR vice president Dr Jeffrey Kitingan today won the post of PKR Divisional Head or Ketua Cabang for Pensiangan, a large but mostly rural area neighbouring Indonesian East Kalimantan.

A closely-watched three cornered tussle, the fight saw Jeffrey, who moved from adjacent Keningau to Pensiangan only weeks ago, winning by a majority of 64 votes, polling 170 over incumbent Danny Andipai's respectable 106.

PKR preaches good governance but teaches dirty polling tactics to its members, say members

By Ezra Haganez

KUDAT: At least three local Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders from Kudat claimed there were irregularities too at their weekend party polls.

Ondon Mangajil, who won a divisional committee seat, said he was unhappy because of glaring irregularities at the party polls where candidates aligned to incumbent Mursalim Tanjul were allowed to assist the monitoring team appointed by headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

“How could it be that even candidates themselves were running themselves the polling process? This does not happen in other political parties but it is allowed in PKR and worse it was only for certain group in the party.

FORMER PKR HEAD FOR PAPAR WANTS A REMATCH IN A FAIRER ELECTION

By Ezra Haganez
PAPAR: Former PKR Divisional Head for Papar, Sylvester Balon Mujim, wanted the Party to nullify the party poll's results for the Division  held yesterday and hold a fresh poll, a fairer and a more organised polling.

He claimed the Papar polling yesterday, in which he lost to lawyer Datuk James Ghani, was marred with various discrepancies.

"It was one of the worst-organised and dirtiest elections held. I am filing official complaint to the Party Election Committee and i hope they will reconvene and hold a fresh polls for Papar," he said in a statement here today.