A fresh leadership is set to take over PKR women wing led by their new chief Zuraida Kamaruddin and her new deputy Rodziah Ismail.

Zuraida (left) 59, formerly the wing's vice-head, won the top post uncontested and immediately declared facing the general election as her top priority.

Approached by malaysiakini, she said her immediate task is to prepare her members for the forthcoming national poll.

Zuraida said the women wing was in charge of training party workers for the general elections and also in charge of coordinating house to house campaigns.

"In the long term, we would be promoting and advocating more women issues and that the women be given justified representation. In some areas, women must be given privileges and priorities," said Zuraida.

Asked on what she thought of her new line-up, Zuraida said they were "very solid, young and vibrant".

More activist needed

Her deputy Rodziah, another former wing vice-head, on the other hand scored a convincing 206 to 62 win over Elizabeth Wong to become the deputy head.

"I would like to congratulate Wong on the votes she has received. It validates her activism work that she has done," said Rodziah, aged 61.

She said she wants to cooperate with Wong in the future to bring up women issues and plans are underway to find a permanent role for the latter to play in the women wing.

Rodziah also described the number of non-Malay members contesting for the women wing positions as 'encouraging'.

Their three vice-chiefs include three individuals who have never held post in the wing - Dr Zaliha Mustaffa, Haniza Talha and Noorsham Abu Samah @ 'Ann'.

The 20 elected exco members for the wing are: Salma Ismail, Salmah Ismail, Che Siti Sarina Che Ismail, Dr Daroyah Alwi, Hjh Hasnah Yahya, Hjh Fauziyah Hamzah, Fathmawaty Salim, Gan Pei Nei, Salwah Abu Hassan, Hariyati Ahmad, Hasnah Hashim, Nurin Ain Abdullah, Rozaini Mohd Rosli, Evelyn Gobile, Azura Ibrahim, Kamariah Abu Hasan, Rohani Bakar, Fuziah Mahadi, Saira Shameen, Tuan Marja Tuan Mat.