PKR denies claim of 'less effort' campaigns in KKB

KKB BY-ELECTION | PKR has denied reports claiming the party made less effort to campaign in the ongoing Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, now in its second week.

Hulu Selangor PKR chief Dr Sathia Prakash Nadarajan said the allegation that the party did not participate in the by-election was just a rumour.

"We need to understand that the 'poster boy' of Pakatan Harapan in this by-election is Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.

"So, it doesn't make sense if PKR is campaigning less. That is not true. We have been in the field since nomination day," Sathia (above) told Malaysiakini.

He said this when asked to comment on the online portal Free Malaysia Today’s report that the party had fewer campaigns due to a lack of funds for machinery.

It quoted an anonymous PKR leader who claimed that Selangor PKR did not channel funds to the election machinery because of unhappiness over the candidate selection process.

"Our party suggested that Harapan field a Malay candidate, but DAP told us not to get involved.

"They said, 'It's our seat, so don't interfere'," according to the source quoted by FMT.

No issue

In response, Sathia, who is also Harapan Hulu Selangor chief, said PKR had never interfered in the selection of candidate.

"There was indeed a suggestion from a PKR leader to put a Malay candidate in Kuala Kubu Baharu. This is a common thing in any by-election.

"However, in Harapan, we all understand that this seat belongs to DAP and the party's candidate needs to be supported by all parties including Umno in the spirit of unity.

"So, there is no issue of PKR not being comfortable with DAP's chosen candidate," he said.

Commenting further, Sathia said PKR is in charge of six out of 16 voting districts in Kuala Kubu Baharu, but the party’s machinery may be less prominent due to it being in the more rural areas.

"Our voting districts are a rural area. Maybe many parties don't notice us.

“They see that we are not in Kuala Kubu (town), so they think we lack campaign activities," he said. - Mkini