PKR POLLS | Newly elected PKR Johor Bahru division chief Akmal Nasir has denied an allegation that he had coached a voter during the recent party polls.

Richard Tan, a fellow contender for the position, had earlier today shown the media a video which he claimed showed Akmal assisting a voter through the electronic voting process.

Tan first highlighted this issue on Oct 5 and wanted Akmal's win invalidated. 

When contacted, Akmal admitted intervening but explained that he had done it to “protect” the voter from the "interfering" election agent. 

“I thought the pengawas (election agent) was helping the voter to vote, she pressed the tab (for him) but I did intervene and asked her to undo whatever she clicked.

“Although I didn't touch the tab, I asked her not to interfere (with) the voter’s freedom to make the choice.

“[...] I was actually protecting the voter,” he told Malaysiakini.

Akmal also responded to the second claim from Tan, who said the former had shown a cai (voting guide) to the same voter.

“The election agent was trying to hide the cai brought in by the voter, which is allowed in the process and everyone can refer to.

“I was actually telling her that you can’t suppress his right to refer to the cai,” he said.

On what basis should I step down?

Aside from the video (see below), Tan had also told the press outside the PKR headquarters that Akmal should step down from his post as Johor Bahru division chief and withdraw from the Youth chief race as the latter had broken election rules. 

While the party’s Complaints, Appeal and Disciplinary Committee has since issued a warning letter to Akmal over the issue, Tan said he disagreed with the move. 

“The warning letter means Akmal was found guilty. The action is not proportionate to his actions,” Tan said, adding that he had sent a memorandum of protest to party election director Rashid Din.

Rashid later told Free Malaysia Today that the party's decision on the issue was final and no further action would be taken against Akmal.  

Akmal also responded, saying he will not be appealing the party’s action against him as he did not want to “prolong the issue”.

The Johor Bahru MP, however, shot down Tan’s call for him to step down and withdraw.

“On what basis (should I step down and withdraw)? He (Tan) is not the person who decides, it is the committee’s decision.

“He has brought it up to the committee and used the right (channel) and now the committee has decided (to send me a warning letter). Why is it so difficult to respect the procedure?

“If you can’t, you shouldn't be in the election process at all,” he added.

Besides Akmal, the committee have also taken action against Johor Bahru PKR Wanita chief Rahimah Abdul Hamid. 

They will refer her to secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution's office for contesting despite being declared bankrupt by the Insolvency Department.