PKR polls: No presidential 'cai', says Sathia

Summary

• PKR deputy secretary-general Dr Sathia Prakash Nadarajan denies claims that party president Anwar Ibrahim is backing any faction or “cai” in the upcoming party polls.

• Sathia states the decision was agreed upon in a recent PKR central leadership council meeting that the president will not endorse any candidate as part of his team.

• Sathia is commenting on reports of party leaders claiming they represent the president’s "cai" and skipping official party events to hold closed-door meetings.

PKR deputy secretary-general Dr Sathia Prakash Nadarajan has denied claims that party president Anwar Ibrahim is backing any faction or “cai” in the upcoming party election set to take place from May 21 to 24.

Sathia, who is also contesting a vice-president post, said the matter was resolved at a recent central leadership council meeting.

“I want to emphasise that there is no cai in this election. No one can claim to be supported by the president.

“It was decided and agreed upon in the council meeting that the president will not endorse any candidate as part of his team.

“If any party member encounters a candidate claiming to be part of the president’s cai, don’t believe it,” he told Malaysiakini.

Skipping tour

He was commenting on reports of several party leaders holding closed-door meetings with branch chiefs and delegates, while skipping official events such as the “Jelajah Kita Keadilan” tour organised by PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh’s office.

According to Sathia, some of these individuals claimed they represented the president’s cai, instead of participating in party-sanctioned activities.

The tour, he explained, was aimed at introducing candidates contesting for posts in the central leadership council, central youth leadership council, and central women’s leadership council.

“But there are parties trying to use the president’s name to take the easy route to fish for votes. That’s absolutely untrue. The president is not supporting anyone,” he added.

The race for the deputy president spot this time around will see a straight fight between incumbent Rafizi Ramli and Nurul Izzah Anwar, daughter of the party president.

Some 12 candidates are contesting four vice-presidency positions, while 86 others are vying for 20 central leadership council seats.

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