Saifuddin: Avoid leaders who want to build own political empires
PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail advises candidates not to get sucked into character assassination.
(FMT) – PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today called on candidates as well as their supporters to not resort to destructive campaigning methods during the party polls.
He said while PKR was a party which practised democracy in giving its members a choice to choose their leaders, discipline among members must be exercised.
“They cannot get sucked into character assassination, making false accusations or slandering other people.
“Party members are watching. Any form of destructive campaigning must be avoided,” he told reporters after a briefing on the Mutiara Food Bank here today.
The domestic trade and consumer affairs minister was asked to comment on the smear campaign between two camps supporting Mohamad Azmin Ali and Rafizi Ramli, and whether there were any plans to hold debates to minimise such smear campaigns.
Saifuddin also expressed confidence in the wisdom of the party members in choosing the right candidates as their leaders.
Saifuddin hoped party members will make their choices based on the commitment of the candidates to the party’s struggle, their contributions and ideas and their creativity.
“On top of that, the members should pick leaders who appreciate the contributions of the grassroots.
“Also, I believe party members will reject leaders who get carried away with using their positions to build their own political empires as this goes against what PKR stands for, which are reforms.
“Never underestimate the wisdom of PKR members,” he added.
The PKR elections are scheduled to take place from September through October. They take place every three years. The nomination process starts this month.
The odds are currently 60% in favour of Azmin and 40% for Rafizi, a party insider had said.
PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had previously denied there were factions in the party, saying it was simply part of the democratic process.
Over 900,000 PKR members would be eligible to vote in the party polls, through an electronic balloting system.