Liew's team sweep KK division, rival cries foul

The incumbent chief for PKR Kota Kinabalu division Chrisitna Liew defeated her contender Ronnie Klassen with a majority of 165 votes after polling 252 votes against Klassen’s 87 votes. There were seven spoilt votes. Her running mate Roman Lo also beat his opponent Dr Chong Eng Leong in the contest for the deputy chief post by a majority of 120 votes when he polled 228 votes against Chong’s 108 votes.

Her other running mate Wong Kin Yin also beat her opponent Benny Quek with a majority vote of 150, by polling 234 votes against Benny’s 84 votes. There were five spoilt votes.

In the battle to head the women's wing, Liew's running mate Roslind Bion polled 65 votes against Chu Shuk Fun (51) votes. There were two spoilt votes.

In an immediate response, Klassen claimed that there were irregularities in the voting process and that he had lodged an official protest with the election committee before the vote counting began.

Among others, he claimed that Liew had convened the Annual General Meeting (AGM) much earlier at 9.25am instead of 10am as stated in the notice of meeting, besides claiming that her people were seen marking the ballot papers on behalf of members, instead of them going into the designated voting area to vote on their own.

He claimed that one of the election officials upon being alerted by him had went over to stop Liew’s people from doing so.

He also claimed that the ballot papers did not tally with the number of members who turned out to vote with 325 members attending but 350 ballot papers submitted.

“In any election there’s always a victor and loser. I can accept defeat if it was truly done in a democratic manner,” he said.

“The tactics employed by my opponent are beyond the true spirit of a friendly contest. I may have lost but my fight for change in PKR will continue,” he added.

Klassen also refused to sign the result sheet.

“I will not recognise the result and I will protest till the end. My team members have taken photographs and a video of what transpired during the voting,” he said.

Liew: Let officials decide

Meanwhile, in her response, Liew said she would leave it to the team of six election officials from the party headquarters to deal with Klassen’s complaints and allegations.

She thanked the members for their support to her and her team in the election, adding that it had reaffirmed their struggle to continue the work for the party.

“Our struggle is clear from day one – to change the corrupt, arrogant BN (Barisan Nasional) government to a Pakatan government in the next general election,” she said.

She also said she would be calling for a meeting with her new committee soon to activate the election machinery in full gear.

Meanwhile, Penampang PKR secretary Franky Lobinjang disclosed that its AGM cum election has been postponed to Oct 3 and the division was waiting for confirmation on the venue from the party headquarters.

“We will inform all the members once it is confirmed,” he said.

When contacted, PKR vice president Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said his contest with Danny Andiapi would only be held on Sept 26.

courtesy of FMT