As PKR battle enters Selangor homeground, Azmin tight-lipped on chances

PKR POLLS | As the PKR election enters its fourth week, Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali remains tight-lipped on his chances to defend his deputy president's post against rival Rafizi Ramli.

Met by reporters after a function in Petaling Jaya, Azmin only urged all parties to respect the election process.

"It (the PKR elections) is still ongoing. We must respect the due processes," Azmin said when asked about the progress of the polls in Selangor so far.

The party polls for the state began today involving the first nine of its 22 divisions.

The divisions voting today are Sabak Bernam, Sungai Besar, Hulu Selangor, Serdang, Kelana Jaya, Subang, Kapar, Kota Raja and Sepang, which comprise over 108,000 members.

The remaining 13 divisions will vote across the next two weekends.

Azmin and Rafizi have been caught in a fierce battle for the PKR No 2's post, with the latter gaining an early lead in the second week of polling in Johor

The third week of PKR elections in the East Coast and Federal Territories, however, saw Rafizi taking a narrow lead over Azmin.

Interim results released by the PKR election committee as of Thursday showed that Azmin has secured 19,584 votes, leading Rafizi by just a solitary vote.

As the Selangor PKR chairperson and former menteri besar, observers noted that 249,850 party members in the state may be the key for Azmin to obtain a more comfortable lead.

'New voter trend in Port Dickson'

Meanwhile, Azmin also said that PKR's president-elect Anwar Ibrahim's victory in the Port Dickson by-election last night signifies a new trend of support for the Harapan coalition.

"I would like to thank the voters in Port Dickson for supporting and strengthening the Pakatan Harapan government while showing support for Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's leadership.

"And this victory is a unique victory as it receives the support from all races in Port Dickson, and this signifies a new trend and confidence the public has for Pakatan Harapan," said Azmin.

He earlier witnessed the handing-over of over RM6 million in donations to Eco World Foundation, the charity arm of property developer Eco World Group, headed by Lee Lam Thye.

-Mkini