Virtual congress barred as 'non-essential social activities not allowed', PKR told
The National Security Council told PKR to postpone its virtual congress today because "non-essential social activities" were not allowed, according to party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution.
"The NSC letter stated clearly that the order to postpone was based on the movement control order, currently in place, where social activities that were not on the essential list were not allowed.
"And because of that, the PKR congress was ordered to be postponed.
"And in the next paragraph (of the NSC letter), it said non-compliance with this order can result in action under emergency ordinances," Saifuddin said in an online speech today.
The National Security Council told PKR to postpone its virtual congress today because "non-essential social activities" were not allowed, according to party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution.
"The NSC letter stated clearly that the order to postpone was based on the movement control order, currently in place, where social activities not on the essential list are not allowed.
"And because of that, the PKR congress was ordered to be postponed.
"And in the next paragraph (of the NSC letter), it said non-compliance with this order can result in action under emergency ordinances," Saifuddin said in an online speech today.
PKR had received instruction from both the NSC and ROS to postpone its 2020 congress on Friday.
Prior to that, Saifuddin said the NSC had, in a letter on May 27, voiced no objections to a virtual congress being held.
Current SOPs for the total lockdown - in force from June 1 to June 14 - categorise formal or informal events as barred social activities, without distinguishing between in-person and online events.
However, it does allow for conferences, and meetings to be held online.
NSC director-general Mohd Rabin Basir told Bernama last night that the decision to postpone the congress made after getting the ROS' views on the matter.
"In a letter sent to the PKR management, NSC had stated that based on the existing SOP and also the views from the Health Ministry, the PKR national congress can be conducted based on the stipulated SOP.
"However, since PKR had received the views from the ROS that it can postpone its congress until June 30, 2021, the council considers that opinion to be more valid based on the current situation of the total lockdown 3.0," he was quoted as saying.
Saifuddin said the PKR leadership council agreed under protest to comply with the NSC's directive but stressed that the party was fully prepared for the congress.
According to Saifuddin, the NSC instructed PKR to hold its congress after June 14, while the ROS gave them until June 30.
This would be subject to the MCO situation at that time.
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