PKR meeting unhappy grassroots, says Ginie Lim's contributions not forgotten

MALACCA POLLS | PKR has acknowledged grassroots unhappiness over the central leadership's decision to drop Ginie Lim as a candidate for the Machap Jaya seat but stressed this did not mean her contributions were being forgotten.

"We appreciate Ginie's (above) contributions as a member and at the same time, we also respect the voice of the grassroots.

"We are meeting everyone. We are confident that even though there are those who are uncertain, they will still support us," PKR vice-president Chang Lih Kang told a press conference.

Chang stressed that a party member not being picked as a candidate did not mean he or she was being sidelined.

"For example, Malacca PKR chief Halim Bachik was also not picked as a candidate. Does this mean he is being sidelined? No.

"The party has its arrangement and it is also similarly applied to Ginie," he said.

On Nov 7, the eve of nomination day, PKR branch leaders in Machap Jaya made a last-ditch effort in appealing to the party to reconsider the decision to drop Lim but was unsuccessful.

Instead, a new face was fielded in the form of Lau Beng Hau.

The branch leaders claimed Lau was not a winnable candidate and does not have the support of the local machinery.

PKR vice-president Chang Lih Kang (left) at the press conference

Sidelined due to association with Azmin

Lim had in recent years raised the ire of the PKR central leadership.

She and Muhammad Jailani Khamis (Rembia) had in 2019 caused the nomination of Halim as a Pakatan Harapan senator to the Dewan Negara to be defeated. 

Each state can nominate two senators to the Dewan Negara, which they must vote on in their respective state assembly.

Prior to the vote taking place in the Malacca state assembly, Lim and Jailani left the House, causing Harapan to fall short of a majority to approve the nomination.

Jailani later helped bring down the Harapan government to form the new Umno-Bersatu administration.

Lim stuck with Harapan but was sidelined due to her association with former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali who had defected to Bersatu.

Despite the controversies, Lim has deep roots in Machap Jaya.

She first contested the seat in 2008 and despite losing by a 1,639-vote majority, she had continued to work the ground.

In 2013, she contested the seat again but lost by a 152-vote majority.

She won on her third attempt in 2018, garnering a 1,336-vote majority. - Mkini