GEORGE TOWN: PKR leaders have been asked to go to the ground to explain the choice of Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as prime minister and deputy prime minister-candidates.
PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this was one of the decisions reached by the party’s political bureau in a meeting on Tuesday night.
This followed reservations expressed by certain quarters, including Selangor PKR, over the choice of Mahathir as prime minister candidate, and Wan Azizah as deputy prime minister candidate, he said.
He said the information, communication and strategy bureaus along with the elections committee had been tasked with executing the move.
“I find it more comfortable to handle such differences in opinion by giving them the space to voice it out. We will now proceed to explain the decision.
“This is the party’s reaction to and our way of managing statements which have been uttered,” he said, adding that time was still on their side, with about three months before the election is expected to be called.
Saifuddin was speaking during a get-together session with the press at the Gayo Korea House here last night.
He was asked to comment on Selangor PKR’s refusal to endorse the decision made by PH’s presidential council, which was announced on Sunday.
PKR information chief Hizwan Ahmad reportedly said Selangor PKR would stick to its stance of disagreeing with the appointment of Mahathir and Wan Azizah for the country’s top two posts should the opposition pact come into power.
Saifuddin said such differences in opinion were normal, adding that it was more important to give those who opposed the decision the time and space to adjust.
He said he had also been careful not to chide or condemn such views.
Referring to the differing views that had followed the announcement, he said the appointments of Mahathir and Wan Azizah were political decisions, which like all such choices, came with risks.
“We have gone through the process. Discussions have been held, and a consensus reached by the highest decision-making body in the pact.
“All mechanisms have been used to make this joint decision. If after that there are differences in opinion, my view is that we have to give them time to adjust to this announcement.
“As PKR secretary-general, I am optimistic that it will not reach the point of stopping the pact from carrying out what it has agreed on,” he said, adding that the announcement had been generally well received by most quarters. -FMT
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