The number of participants who turned out for Pakatan Rakyat's state level convention in Penang today paled in comparison to thepacked field at the coalition's 308 fifth year anniversary do last night.
Only about 600 attended the function in Komtar this morning although the parties - DAP, PKR and PAS - had mobilised around 1,000 to participate in the four-hour event.
The numbers dwindled to about 300 half way through the session, with only about 200 left to hear Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's (left) address.
Many left after opposition leader and PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim presented his speech and departed for Selangor for another event.
Those most notably absent from the venue were PKR members, while others who were still around were either eating, chatting, or smoking outside the premises.
There were several ongoing speeches, including analysis and summaries of Pakatan's "manifesto rakyat" unveiled on Feb 25 but the session became a drag when there was no interval and response from the crowd was poor.
Finally, Lim and his deputies - PKR state chief Mansor Othman and P. Ramasamy - and state DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow, led the small crowd through the Pakatan Rakyat pledge.
An insult to Anwar?
A party youth member, who declined to be named, said he was disappointed to see so many empty chairs after Anwar's departure.
"This does not seem like a coalition which will take over Putrajaya," he lamented.
Some members see the situation as a direct insult to Anwar, who during his speech spoke passionately about his friendship with the chief minister, even when he was deputy prime minister and an Umno leader.
Others view it as lack of preparation and control the parties have over their members, whose lacklustre response to the presentations were a sign of fatigue probably caused by too many programmes packed into the week.
The highlight of the day was a video clip presentation on a group of people claiming to be NGO members hitting and kicking the glass door entrance of the state administrative officers on level 3, demanding to meet with Lim.
During a press conference later, Lim defended his comrades, saying that "some were tired and some left for lunch".
"This is not an issue. Why do you want to focus on the numbers? We had a tight schedule. The best crowd was not when Anwar was around, it was in the morning, around 10.30am," he said.
"People left after that, with Anwar because they had to attend other functions. That's why we had to cut down one programme because the schedule was too heavy," he added.
Manifesto amply distributed
When asked about the Youth member's view, Lim said: "This also does not seem like a coalition which would take over Penang.
Only about 600 attended the function in Komtar this morning although the parties - DAP, PKR and PAS - had mobilised around 1,000 to participate in the four-hour event.
The numbers dwindled to about 300 half way through the session, with only about 200 left to hear Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's (left) address.Many left after opposition leader and PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim presented his speech and departed for Selangor for another event.
Those most notably absent from the venue were PKR members, while others who were still around were either eating, chatting, or smoking outside the premises.
There were several ongoing speeches, including analysis and summaries of Pakatan's "manifesto rakyat" unveiled on Feb 25 but the session became a drag when there was no interval and response from the crowd was poor.
Finally, Lim and his deputies - PKR state chief Mansor Othman and P. Ramasamy - and state DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow, led the small crowd through the Pakatan Rakyat pledge.An insult to Anwar?
A party youth member, who declined to be named, said he was disappointed to see so many empty chairs after Anwar's departure.
"This does not seem like a coalition which will take over Putrajaya," he lamented.
Some members see the situation as a direct insult to Anwar, who during his speech spoke passionately about his friendship with the chief minister, even when he was deputy prime minister and an Umno leader.
Others view it as lack of preparation and control the parties have over their members, whose lacklustre response to the presentations were a sign of fatigue probably caused by too many programmes packed into the week.
The highlight of the day was a video clip presentation on a group of people claiming to be NGO members hitting and kicking the glass door entrance of the state administrative officers on level 3, demanding to meet with Lim.
During a press conference later, Lim defended his comrades, saying that "some were tired and some left for lunch".
"This is not an issue. Why do you want to focus on the numbers? We had a tight schedule. The best crowd was not when Anwar was around, it was in the morning, around 10.30am," he said.
"People left after that, with Anwar because they had to attend other functions. That's why we had to cut down one programme because the schedule was too heavy," he added.
Manifesto amply distributed
When asked about the Youth member's view, Lim said: "This also does not seem like a coalition which would take over Penang.
"Why don't you write that BN seems like a coalition that would recapture the state?"
When told that the absentees appeared to be mainly PKR members, Mansor, who was at the press briefing shot back:
"How sure are you that PKR members are not there? Just because people are wearing tudung does not mean they are PAS members. You are wrong".
PKR Bayan Baru deputy chief Rashid Hasnul said what was more important is that the manifesto had been adequately distributed to the members.
"The content is good and concise, and has been shared with the members," he added, saying that Pakatan members simply had too many events to attend, which could explain today's lower turn-out.
Lim's political secretary and Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik seem resigned to the fact the parties failed to get full attendance today.
"What to do? In any convention, this is the case," said the state DAP Socialist Youth chief.
When told that the absentees appeared to be mainly PKR members, Mansor, who was at the press briefing shot back:
"How sure are you that PKR members are not there? Just because people are wearing tudung does not mean they are PAS members. You are wrong".
PKR Bayan Baru deputy chief Rashid Hasnul said what was more important is that the manifesto had been adequately distributed to the members.
"The content is good and concise, and has been shared with the members," he added, saying that Pakatan members simply had too many events to attend, which could explain today's lower turn-out.
Lim's political secretary and Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik seem resigned to the fact the parties failed to get full attendance today.
"What to do? In any convention, this is the case," said the state DAP Socialist Youth chief.
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