Suspended PKR Women's chief launches 'Nation of Women' NGO

Amid an ongoing purge from within PKR, the party's suspended women's wing chief Haniza Talha today launched a new civil society group dubbed the Nation of Women (NOW).

Speaking at a press conference after the launch, the Lembah Jaya assemblyperson said the group was launched in response to calls from women who wished to contribute but have either been sacked or suspended from PKR.

"As we all know, I have been suspended as the PKR Wanita chief," Haniza said.

"Although I am still a PKR member, I and many other PKR members are not allowed to (do work) using the party's name.

"Therefore I took this initiative to set-up NOW as an NGO where women who have been sidelined can continue work in their areas without pressure from the party's leadership," she said.

NOW is yet another NGO formed by suspended PKR leaders after Pemuda Negara was founded in April by Gombak Setia assemblyperson Hilman Idham and Seberang Jaya assemblyperson Dr Afif Bahardin.

Quizzed on whether NOW would eventually join forces with Pemuda Negara to form a new political party, Haniza said there are no such immediate plans and their work is focused on functioning as an NGO.

"I don't know about that. We have no plans...I don't know what's going to happen in the future.

"Our focus is on women's development...On politics, that has nothing to do with this NGO," said Haniza who urged the PKR leadership and others not to view NOW as a threat.

Haniza also said she is still waiting for PKR to conduct its disciplinary probe over claims she had met with former PKR leaders Azmin Ali and Zuraida Kamaruddin, who have defected to Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional.

Also present as NOW members were PKR Women's deputy chief Daroyah Alwi and sacked PKR Women's information chief Syarul Ema Rena Abu Samah, while PKR vice-president Tian Chua came in a show of support.

Speculations are rife that Tian Chua is also expected to launch his own NGO but when asked about the matter today, the former Batu MP said it would not be right for him to make an announcement at another group's press conference.

He added that people should also differentiate between political parties and civil society groups.

"That's a bit far fetched," said Tian Chua when asked about rumours of a new political party to be founded by former PKR members aligned to Azmin.

The purge within PKR's ranks was sparked by Azmin as the then party deputy president - along with a group of former PKR MPs - quit the party and switched sides from Harapan to help form the new Perikatan Nasional government. - Mkini