Amanah delegates ticked off for complaining about petty issues

AMANAH AGM | The Perak Amanah chief today delivered a sharp reproof to several party convention delegates after they complained about petty issues during the event, including their hotel rooms being too small.

Asmuni Awi said he was puzzled how some party members could make such complaints, including calling the organisers of the convention in Ipoh "lousy."

He said this was different when they were still members of the opposition.

"I am puzzled... before this, we could even sleep in mosques, markas (party offices), but now when we have some positions, even sleeping in hotels we complain that the room is small," he said.

The Manjoi assemblyperson said it was also uncalled for to blame the organising committee about hotel rooms as it had only provided a list of hotels nearby the venue for delegates to choose.

"It is unnecessary to complain. But my committee members took offence when they received comments like 'lousy hotel' and 'lousy organiser'.

"If before this we could sleep on the bare floor, why now we complain? I want to ask all of us to muhasabah (do some introspection) - what we have today is a test from Allah to see if we are grateful or kufur," he said in his speech at the convention.

30pct women quota

Meanwhile, Amanah Wanita chief Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (photo) called on delegates to keep the party's promise to have at least 30 percent women in decision-making posts.

Mariah said the matter had already been mentioned in the Amanah's party constitution, but it was the members who were reluctant to elect female leaders.

"Other parties had already placed women in decision-making levels in their parties.

"Our party constitution also states that there should be 30 percent (women in such posts), but our members... whenever we want to put women (as candidates for top posts), they will question what qualifications (the women have).

"But the same question is not asked when the candidate is a man – whether he has a PhD or Master's degree. But we still give these candidates a chance because only by doing so we can see one's leadership qualities," she said in her winding-up speech.

"I hope in the next party election, we would have at least one vice-president from Awan (Wanita Amanah) or Wardah (Amanah Young Women wing), and also so at divisional and state levels.

"Do not just pay lip service by saying that women are important, but when the time comes, banyak songehnya (many excuses)," she said. - Mkini