Amira elected Muda president

 The Puteri Wangsa assemblyman was named to the post despite coming in third in the race for a spot in its central executive committee.

Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz had been acting president of Muda after Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman stepped down from the post.

PETALING JAYA:

 Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz was elected as Muda president at the party’s inaugural elections today, despite coming in third in the race for a spot in its central executive committee (CEC).

Amira secured 103 votes from the delegates, while former information chief Leben Siddarth topped the polls with 110 votes.

Saiyidah Izzati Nur came in second with 104 votes.

The results were announced by the party’s election director, Zaim Zulkafli.

Under Muda’s electoral system, the top 25 candidates elected to the CEC subsequently decide among themselves the party’s top leadership posts, including the presidency.

Amira, who was appointed acting president in 2023 after Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman stepped down from the post, had been widely expected to formally assume the presidency if she secured a place in the CEC.

About 125 delegates cast their votes in today’s long-delayed inaugural internal elections.

Amira later unveiled Muda’s new lineup.

She named Zaidel Baharuddin as her deputy, and Leben, Faezrah Rizalman, Dobby Chew and Dr Siva Prakash as vice-presidents.

Rasid Abu Bakar was appointed the party’s information chief, while Ainie Haziqah remains the secretary-general.

Amira said she will announce the other appointments, including that of the treasurer, after Hari Raya.

Today’s polls are widely seen as a key test of whether the youth-based party can move beyond the shadow of its founder, Syed Saddiq, who did not contest.

The two-term Muar MP had earlier announced that he would sit out the elections, saying it would be reckless to allow his ongoing legal battle to hold back the party’s progress.

The polls also come after more than a year of delays, which drew criticism from some observers. - FMT