KUANTAN – The defeat of prominent figures in the PKR branch-level election serves as a clear signal to leaders holding positions in the federal or state governments to return to the grassroots.
PKR Indera Mahkota former deputy chief, Kamarul Hatta Mohamed Ali said that leaders in government positions were often seen as less involved with the grassroots, preferring to stay in their comfortable positions rather than engaging with the people on the ground.
He said that party work seems to have been fully delegated to the grassroots, a situation that did not occur when PKR was in the Opposition previously.
"It doesn’t matter whether they are ministers, deputy ministers, MPs, or state assembly members, the grassroots and party work cannot be neglected.
"There needs to be a balance between responsibilities for the positions held and party work at the grassroots level,” he said in a statement yesterday.
As a long-time member of PKR, Kamarul did not rule out the fact that this election result signified an agenda for change within the party.
Meanwhile, Mohd Zukri Aksah, who won the position of Deputy Chief of PKR Indera Mahkota by defeating Semambu assemblyman Chan Chun Kuang, rejected claims that there was an attempt to bring down leaders from certain camps or manipulation of the voting system as had been widely circulated.
"To me, this is more about a signal from the grassroots to the leadership at the branch level, who may have become complacent with their positions after joining the government and forgotten their party responsibilities at the grassroots,” he said.