PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed receiving the complaints. — Picture by Miera Zulyana
KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 — Two potential candidates who wanted to contest in the PKR polls have complained that their names were missing from the party’s membership list.
A. Vethamoorthy, who had wanted to run for the post of Sungai Siput PKR chief, said he could not file his nomination after he was informed that he was no longer a PKR member.
Vethamoorthy said he has been a PKR member since 2013.
“I went to the nomination centre in Perak on Saturday to file my nomination as a division chief.
“However, I was told that I was not qualified to contest as I was no longer a party member. I have brought the matter to the state PKR leadership,” he told English portal Malaysiakini.
Another potential candidate had similarly claimed that her name was missing from the party membership list. This is the same woman who had accused Sungai Siput MP S. Kesavan of sexual harassment.
“I found out that my name had disappeared from the membership list after I tried to make an online application (for nomination) for the Sungai Siput PKR chief,” she said.
The name of the woman has not been reported by Malaysiakini pending the sexual harassment case. Kesavan has denied the allegations.
In the news report, the woman said she registered as a lifetime PKR member in 2018 and was formerly also the Sungai Siput PKR treasurer.
“Therefore, it is impossible that my membership just disappeared,” she said.
She has since brought the matter to the central PKR leadership, including party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“He (Anwar) promised to raise the matter with the election committee,” she said.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, when contacted by Malaysiakini, confirmed receiving the complaints.
“This case as well as a number of complaints will be referred to the membership department to verify their membership status.
“The election committee will check every complaint to determine if they are still members or not,” he said.
PKR party polls for the 2022 to 2025 term will take place next month.
Some 1.2 million members are expected to vote via a physical-online hybrid system.