Step down as PKR state chief, Kamarul told

M Ravi claims that Kamarul won the Teluk Kemang seat because of the excellent service rendered by three assemblymen.

PORT DICKSON: Port Dickson state assemblyman M Ravi has urged Telok Kemang MP Kamarul Baharin Abbas to step down as Negeri Sembilan PKR chairman.

He claimed that Kamarul is to be blamed for PKR’s defeat in several Negeri Sembilan seats in the just concluded 13th general election.

“Kamarul used his power to field candidates as per his wish without consulting with division and grassroots leaders. This is the reason we (PKR) lost many seats, which we should have won.

“He must be responsible and must step down as state PKR chairman voluntarily. If he loves the party, it’s better to do it now before the ‘disease’ becomes worse. He should step down from the state chairman post and concentrate on his job as MP for Telok Kemang,” he added.

Ravi said that Kamarul should make way for young leaders to spearhead the party in Negeri Sembilan.

According to Ravi, PKR could have won the state seats of Ampangan, Pilah and Linggi if the party had fielded candidates who worked through various activities including charities and assistance to poor at the respective constituency for the past four years.

“These candidates are PKR supreme council member and Seremban PKR deputy chief, Dr Mohamad Rafie Abdul Malek in Ampangan; PKR Kuala Pilah treasurer Kamarul Allaymmy Abdul Kadir in Pilah and Telok Kemang PKR deputy chief Rusli Abdullah in Linggi.

“However, Kamarul decided to field ‘parachute’ candidates including himself in Ampangan, Mohamad Nazaruddin Sabtu in Pilah and Rosman Jonet in Linggi,” he added.

Kamarul’s track record poor

Ravi said these three candidates went down to the ground only after the nomination day, and 15 days is not enough for parachute candidates to familiarise themselves with the ground.

“Even the the voters will not have sufficient time to find out who is the PKR candidate in their constituency,” he added.

Ravi also reminded Kamarul not to boast about his victory in Teluk Kemang.

“Please remember that his win is due to the excellent service rendered by three state assemblymen in Lukut (Ean Yong Tin Sin – DAP), Chuah (Chai Tong Chai – PKR) and Port Dickson.

“Kamarul got solid votes from Lukut, Chuah and Port Dickson. He got the votes not because he is popular or due to his track record in Telok Kemang, but because the Telok Kemang voters want to help Anwar Ibrahim’s march to Putrajaya,” he said.

“Telok Kemang voters still voted for him even though his performance is poor in Telok Kemang because the voters didn’t see the candidate (Kamarul) but the party,” he added.

Ravi said the Telok Kemang voters had given Kamarul a second chance and he hoped that the former does not let them down.

Kamarul defeated MIC information chief and former state exco member VS Mogan with 1,579 majority votes.