SOME people in PKR’s central election committee (JPP) are campaigning for certain candidates contesting in the party polls, said PKR Youth chief hopeful Dr Afif Bahardin.

He said  no one from the JPP should campaign for any candidate, even on social media.

“I will not pinpoint who, but there is this tendency (among some in JPP).

“Say we consider JPP to be like the Election Commission. Can you imagine some EC officers campaigning for Anwar Ibrahim in the Port Dickson by-election?

“As an official, you cannot be seen to be promoting any candidate. JPP has to remind its officials,” Dr Afif told reporters at a conference on eco-tourism in Seberang Jaya this morning.

The committee has been under the spotlight since the start of the PKR polls last month.

There were system glitches in the e-voting process in Kedah and Penang, the first two states to vote for PKR central and state leaders; leading to criticism against the committee that conducted the polls.

Dr Afif said the election has since proceeded more smoothly in other states, but there were still weaknesses in the system.

“We deal with 850,000 party members, who are all eligible to vote. After Anwar becomes prime minister, PKR’s membership may double,” he said.

PKR is the only political party in Malaysia that allows all its members to directly vote for their state and central leaders. In other parties, leaders are elected by delegates.

On his bid for the Youth chief post, Dr Afif said he was still in a “good position” based on unofficial results, adding that he hoped the polls in several states in the coming weeks would also favour him.

So far, the two-term Penang health exco and Seberang Jaya assemblyman has won the most votes in the party polls conducted in Penang, Johor, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur.

The deputy Youth chief is being challenged by Akmal Nasrullah Nasir and Mohd Najwan Halimi for the top post in PKR Youth.

The party polls official results will be announced next month.

On another matter, Dr Afif said Pakatan Harapan’s elected representatives, including those in the cabinet, should do more to engage all stakeholders, especially youth.

He said apart from Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, most cabinet members have not been considering the views of the youth.

He said there must be political will to be a more responsive than the previous administration. 

“All ministers and elected reps must remember we are constantly being watched, even put under the microscope, by the people.

“Some of us need to step up our performance and engagement, namely with the youth. We must know what are the aspirations of the youth, to create new policies that will take us to greater heights.

“Many announcements have been made but engagements with the people are also important.

“We cannot be like the old government. We have to be more responsive and open,” he said, adding that the civil service must also be on board. – October 8, 2018.