S'gor a top item in Pakatan retreat agenda

The line separating state and party may blur as the PKR places state policy in Selangor on its agenda for its planned retreat next weekend.

But said information chief Latheefa Koya, the party will look at mechanisms to provide input without being seen to be interfering with the Pakatan Rakyat government.

Contacted today, she explained that the move is in response to delegates’ views at the party’s sixth national congress held last month in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

At the time, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had received a tongue-lashing from delegates and from some members of the central leadership for having ‘sidelined’ the party in the running of the state.

Latheefa said PKR will present its views through presentations and panel discussions on state issues, for example the management of Felda estates.

“Khalid and (PKR) state excos will attend (the retreat) to take the feedback with them to inform their decision making,” she said.

Standard channel?

At the moment, she noted, all policy decisions are made at state exco level, even though it is PKR - as part of the Pakatan coalition - which has made election promises.

“Some of the things on our joint manifesto are already achievable on state level, so we want to see how we can do this,” said Latheefa.

“It may be suggested that a standard channel should be used in the future, but this needs to be cleared up in terms of its legal aspects (to avoid the party) being seen as pressuring (the state government).”

PKR will also look into developing a mechanism to allow its leaders and MPs in the other Pakatan-ruled states to liaise directly with the Selangor government, she said.

Going forward, she said, PKR hopes to present the input to Pakatan leaders, with the aim of synchronising the policies in these states.

State representatives and central committee leaders are expected to attend the two-day retreat, which will be held in Shah Alam, Selangor.