As blame game escalates, PKR points finger at Guan Eng

As the blame game escalates over the dispute regarding electoral seats with its Pakatan Harapan partner, PKR has decided to “set the past straight” on the matter.

In a press statement, the party’s political bureau member Dr Mansor Othman recalled what transpired with regard to negotiations concerning seats in the Sarawak election.

He said PKR deputy president Azmin Ali kept engaging DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on the disputed five seats - Mulu, Mambong, Ngemah, Murum and Simanggang.

He revealed that the PKR number two also proposed to resolve the impasse with three seats under PKR and two seats under DAP to avoid three-cornered duels.

“But Lim refused to consider any amicable resolution to avoid a three-cornered fight,” he added.

Relating the background to the stalemate, Mansor (photo) said following talks on April 7, Lim suggested that Azmin and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah sign a handwritten note with a list of seats.

“But both Azmin and Nurul were opposed to signing the note.

“Lim kept persuading them and in the end, only Azmin agreed to sign, but only in principle - with the understanding that it was not a final decision.

“The understanding between Lim, Azmin and Nurul was that the meeting was not conclusive because they would continue to negotiate even after signing the note, and even until just before nomination day if necessary,” he added.

Mansor said on April 11, Harapan held its presidential council meeting.

“Before the meeting, PKR and DAP failed to reach a consensus on the seats, but agreed to resolve this in the next round of negotiations and work towards one-to-one contests with BN.

“Hence, in the presidential council it was announced that PKR and DAP had reached consensus on one-to-one contests,” he added.

'Negotiations were supposed to go on'

Mansor noted that when a Parti Negara Amanah (Amanah) representative questioned which seats had been resolved, Lim had said there was no need to present it there as PKR and DAP would solve this independently.

“DAP thus implied that negotiations were still on. PKR and DAP were to continue negotiating even after April 11.

“It is clear in Clause 5.5 of the Pakatan Harapan Agreement: 'The final decision of which party shall represent Pakatan Harapan in any election of any level shall be made by the presidential council and each party shall not announce its decision to contest in any seat at any level without the prior approval of the presidential council’,” he pointed out.

On April 22, Mansor said PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail gave the mandate in writing to Azmin to honour state autonomy and permit Sarawak PKR chairperson Baru Bian to resolve all matters such as seat negotiations and candidates.

On the same day, he added Baru (photo) announced only 35 seats instead of 42 seats because five seats were still in negotiation with DAP while two were yet to finalise candidates.

This, he argued, showed PKR was still hopeful that DAP would continue to negotiate and avoid three-cornered fights.

During the last PKR political bureau meeting, the members decided to give topmost priority to seat negotiations but were also prepared to face three-cornered contests should the talks fail.

On the same note, Mansor said while PKR regretted that the negotiations failed, it also took cognisance of the need to close ranks in order to face BN, which it described as a threat to the nation’s future.

Furthermore, he added that it is still not too late for straight fights and recounted jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s call on both parties to continue talks.

“We still have a chance before election day to fulfil the people’s expectations of us to present one-to-one fights against BN.

“We have always been ready to give diplomacy a chance, and we stand ready to give it a second chance, with a spirit of fair compromise, give and take, for a higher cause: state and national reform. Are our coalition partners willing to do the same?” he asked.

When PKR refused to budge on the five seats, DAP retaliated by fielding a candidate in the Batu Kitang constituency, paving the way for friendly fire in six areas.

Earlier today, DAP said it would not campaign in Batu Kitang if PKR would do the same in the five other seats. -Mkini