Did Kamil forget his foreign-funded training with PKR, ex-party leader asks

 

Muda secretary-general Ainie Haziqah Shafiee described PKR Youth chief Kamil Abdul Munim as a hypocrite for targeting the civil society organisation (CSO) movement Mandiri over purported foreign funds.

Ainie (above, right) - who was a former PKR Young Women chief and Kamil's contemporary in the youth wing - said that even PKR once benefited from foreign training.

"Kamil's own party started as a reformist movement that received support, training, and assistance from various international organisations that championed democracy and human rights.

"In fact, many youth activists then - including Kamil - have joined training, leadership development programmes, and discussions that were foreign-funded.

"The question is, did Kamil not know then? Was he naive? Or is he choosing to forget, now that he is in power?" she asked in a statement today.

Silencing youths

Ainie also questioned whether the foreign funding allegation is meant simply to silence youth voices critical of the government.

On Sunday, Kamil urged authorities to probe Mandiri over allegations that it received foreign funding aimed at subverting Malaysian politics.

Mandiri denied any wrongdoing and sent the PKR Youth chief a letter of demand.

PKR’s Semambu assemblyperson Chan Chun Kang - who defended Mandiri - said yesterday that PKR itself had previously faced accusations over alleged funding from the Open Society Institute and the National Democratic Institute.

Security threat?

Kamil denied that PKR Youth wanted the authorities to arbitrarily investigate CSOs that received foreign funding, Bernama reported last night.

Instead, he said the issue at hand was the potential security threat posed by Mandiri.

He also denied downplaying the importance of CSOs.

“PKR began as a political platform supported by mass movements and CSOs that remained steadfast with the principles of the reform agenda.

“We have never denied the contributions and services of CSOs in raising awareness and nurturing democratic understanding in the country, while supporting the reform agenda,” he added. - Mkini