[hang nadim] PKR.....ANUAR....AZMIN....AZIZAH.....Khalid ?????

Wan Azizah retains post unopposedGEORGE TOWN: PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has retained the chairman’s post of the party’s Permatang Pauh division when she won the seat uncontested.

Permatang Pauh is one of four divisions in Penang that will see no contests for the top post in the party state polls that are set to take place from Friday to Oct 3.

“The chairman’s post for the Bukit Mertajam, Permatang Pauh, Batu Kawan and Tanjung divisions have been won uncontested. This means only nine divisions (of the state’s total of 13) will see fights for the top post,” said Penang PKR secretary Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain.

State executive councillors Law Choo Kiang and Abdul Malik Abul Kassim retained their posts for the Batu Kawan and Tanjung divisions respectively, while Penang Deputy Speaker and Machang Bubuk assemblyman Tan Hock Leong was returned unopposed to the Bukit Mertajam chairman’s seat.

Although the Permatang Pauh division top post is a closed matter, the division polls there are still expected to draw attention with a fierce fight for the deputy chairman’s post.

Penang PKR liaison committee chairman and Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mansor Othman will face off against incumbent Che Mat Hashim for the No 2 spot.

No mudslinging, PKR tells members lobbying for posts
By TEH ENG HOCK
enghock@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: PKR members intending to contest top national positions and their supporters have been told to refrain from mudslinging in the spirit of a free and fair election.

The party’s election committee chairman, Dr Molly Cheah, said the actions of PKR vice-president Azmin Ali’s supporters last week caught the committee by surprise – when allegations were thrown at Federal Territories PKR chief Datuk Zaid Ibrahim.

Both Azmin and Zaid are reportedly eyeing the deputy president’s position.

“The leadership was alarmed and wanted to nip this in the bud.

“Nobody thought to pre-empt all this.

“Maybe we were a little naive,” she said yesterday.

Dr Cheah also reminded contest aspirants to wait until they are nominated before lobbying for support.

She added it would be “presumptuous” for candidates to announce their intention to contest when they had not been nominated for the position.

Nominations for national posts can be made during the annual general meetings of the party’s divisions, which will be held over three weekends from Friday to Oct 3.

As such, nominations had not been opened yet and Dr Cheah urged potential candidates not to jump the gun.

“In principle, you have to be nominated by two cabang (divisions) before you can contest.

“Technically, how do you know two cabang are going to nominate you?

“Wait lah (to be nominated),” she said.

Wednesday September 15, 2010
Anwar will not contest for party’s top spot

PETALING JAYA: PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will not be contesting any posts in the party.

His announcement throws the ‘Anwar-Dr Wan Azizah combo’ out of the window and opens up the contest for the number two post.

Party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who won her Permatang Pauh division chief post uncontested, is likely to remain the party president following Anwar’s decision.

Anwar had previously backed Dr Wan Azizah to defend the presidency.

“I will not be accepting any nominations for any position in the party,” Anwar said in his blog without re­­vealing details.

Anwar also reminded all candidates to fully abide by ethical rules and not claim they have his blessings.

“I want a healthy competition. It is the members’ right to choose based on the principles of the party’s struggles,” he added.

On the direct election, which will be held for the first time, Anwar said PKR was introducing a democratic system that gave room to all members to choose the candidates of their choice.

The party’s constitution was amended late last year to allow some 400,000 members to elect their leaders directly.

Nominations for posts in the 206 divisions closed on Sunday. Nomi­nations for central positions and division elections would take place during the division’s annual general meeting which will be held over eight days between Sept 17 and Oct 3.

The election for national posts would take place over eight days between Oct 29 and Nov 21, ahead of the party’s annual general congress on Nov 27.

According to the party’s constitution, the central leadership council has the responsibility of ensuring that at least 30% of the leadership at the division, state and national level comprise women