Candidate selection: Create chances for women, rejuvenate party - Rafizi

STATE POLLS | The selection of PKR candidates for the election in Negeri Sembilan took into consideration creating opportunities for women and rejuvenating the party, said PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli.

He was responding to incumbent Ampangan assemblyperson Mohamad Rafie Ab Malek who said he was dropped on the orders of Rafizi and state Pakatan Harapan chairperson Aminuddin Harun.

Rafizi, who is the PKR election director, also denied the claim that Rafie’s name was dropped because of his criticism of Aminuddin’s leadership as the state’s menteri besar.

He added that the selection process was done transparently and in accordance with the party’s process.

“There were three screening stages before the PKR president (Anwar Ibrahim) made the final selection. Even I was not aware of the shortlisted candidates until the official announcement was made.

“Before we had the unity government, PKR can compete for many seats, now we only have six. So we want to make sure that one-third of the six seats are women candidates.

“Hence, someone had to withdraw. It is not about who gets or who doesn’t get it, it’s the party’s decision,” he told reporters at the Madani Tour Programme in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, last night.

“There are others who are also dropped... Otherwise, women will not get a seat at all,” he added.

Besides Rafie, also dropped were incumbent Sri Tanjung assemblyperson M Ravi, Michael Yek Diew Ching (Chuah), and incumbent Mohamad Nazaruddin Sabtu (Pilah).

They were replaced by new faces: Tengku Zamrah Tengku Sulaiman for the Ampangan seat, Rajasekaran (Sri Tanjung), Yew Boon Lye (Chuah), and Nur Zunita Begum (Pilah).

The Election Commission has set polling for all six states, namely Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah, as well as the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election, to be held simultaneously on Aug 12 while early voting is on Aug 8.

- Bernama

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