PKR polls: Losing candidates question 'split results', file appeals
Multiple divisions have had outcomes in which a team leader - their candidate for division chief - lost, while almost everyone else on the team won. This inadvertently led to scenarios in which a team leader won despite most their team losing.
Besides the team leader running for the division chief post, each team also usually comprises of one deputy chief and one vice chief nominee, as well up to 15 candidates for the division’s leadership committee.
Malaysiakini learnt that these “split outcomes”...
Summary
Losers in PKR division-level polls file appeals, citing conflicting results as compared to a majority of their team members who won.
Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail urges that the remaining elections this weekend be postponed.
Following the conclusion of division-level pollings for PKR chapters in seven states, questions were raised over alleged discrepancies that resulted in “split outcomes” across competing teams.
Multiple divisions have had outcomes in which a team leader - their candidate for division chief - lost, while almost everyone else on the team won. This inadvertently led to scenarios in which a team leader won despite most their team losing.
Besides the team leader running for the division chief post, each team also usually comprises of one deputy chief and one vice chief nominee, as well up to 15 candidates for the division’s leadership committee.
Malaysiakini learnt that these “split outcomes” formed the basis of complaints to the PKR Election Committee led by Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
In Selangor, former Shah Alam division chief and Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail, who lost to Kota Anggerik assemblyperson Najwan Halimi, raised suspicions over the final results, which she described as “strange”.
“Why do I say strange? Because when the results came out, I was the only one who lost, and in fact I received the least number of votes among candidates in my team,” she said in a Facebook post.
Rodziah (above) polled 899 votes, while her running-mate for vice-chief Shahrulnidzam Zainal, who won against two others, secured 1,061 votes from 2,637 ballot papers issued.
The PKR Shah Alam division has 3,307 members eligible to vote.
Rodziah also claimed she found “failures” in the application-based online voting system that could have affected her results.
“With this ‘strange’ result, and based on the findings, I filed an appeal because I feel something is not right.
“I am speaking up, also as a PKR Supreme Council member. I urge these matters to be explained, and I propose for the elections in the remaining states this weekend to be postponed until these ‘strange’ issues are resolved,” she said.
Previously, Najwan told Malaysiakini that despite defeating Rodziah, many others in his team lost, with exception of Kota Damansara assemblyperson Izuan Ahmad Kasim who defeated two contenders for the Shah Alam PKR Youth chief post.
Appeals in Rawang, Petaling Jaya, Kulim Bandar Baharu
Separately, Rawang assemblyperson Chua Wei Kiat filed an appeal after losing to Kamarudin Mohd Hussain in a three-cornered contest for the Selayang division chief post, which was vacated by Selayang MP William Leong.
Chua polled 1,648 votes to Kamarudin’s 2,041, while a third challenger, Wan Ibnul Bahar Wan Ismail, received 28 votes from 3,718 ballots issued. Selayang PKR has a total of 4,705 members eligible to vote.
Similar to Rodziah, Chua cited his loss, despite wins by a majority of his team members, as a basis for his appeal.
“To my entire team - thank you for your loyalty and unwavering fighting spirit.
“We have been preparing for this election for over two years, and the results prove that our collective efforts were not in vain,” he said.
“The overwhelming victory at the branch, Women’s, and Youth levels is the result of hard work, unity, and the grassroots’ trust in us,” Chua said in a Facebook post.
In another appeal on similar grounds, Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung, who lost to incumbent Petaling Jaya PKR division chief Hee Loy Sian, said among his team who won included Petaling Jaya Women’s Wing chief Maisarah Ismail and Petaling Jaya Youth Chief Nabil Halimi.
In Kedah, Kulim Bandar Baharu PKR division chief challenger Adam Teh Lean Ong said he filed an appeal over his loss to Yeo Keng Chuan.
“My entire team - from the deputy branch chief to the committee members - won with around 786 votes.
“The Women’s wing also won with an average of about 285 votes, and the Youth wing won with an average of 141 votes. But I alone lost by 282 votes,” he said in a Facebook post.
“A suspicious discrepancy of 1,000 votes - twice as many as the second-highest supporter.
“This didn’t happen in just one branch in Kedah, but in many branches across Kedah, as well as in Selangor and Malacca,” he claimed.
The Kulim Bandar Baharu PKR division has a total of 2,078 eligible voters, but only 1,736 votes were cast.
The committee is accepting appeals against results for elections held on May 11, May 12, and May 13, until 5pm on May 16.
Voting for the central leadership council, national Women’s wing, and national Youth wing posts will be held on May 24.
