Vote dispute: Akmal to file protest over Johor Baru PKR upset
JOHOR BARU: Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir will lodge an official protest with the PKR election committee following his unexpected defeat in the race for the Johor Baru PKR division chief post on Sunday. https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2025/04/1204833/pkr-polls-akmal-los...
Akmal, who is also Johor Baru member of parliament, is challenging the official vote count, which recorded him receiving only 587 votes, compared to the 709 garnered by Johor Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) Youth chief Mohamad Taufiq Ismail — who won with a majority of 122 votes.
In a statement posted on Facebook today, Akmal asserted that he had in fact secured at least 949 votes and revealed that his team had submitted a statutory declaration to support the claim.
"These numbers are not mere GOTV (Get Out The Vote) projections but are backed by Form 14s verified by polling station chiefs, signed voter rolls, and photographic evidence," he said.
He urged all parties to remain calm as he prepares to submit a formal protest through the proper channels, stressing the importance of preserving party integrity.
The defeat came as a surprise to many of Akmal's supporters, especially after he had hinted at victory in an earlier Facebook post, which featured an infographic purporting to show unofficial results indicating a simple majority in his favour.
Akmal also criticised the final outcome, likening it to a "headless body" scenario, pointing out that 10 members elected to the division committee were from his team.
He appeared to suggest that internal sabotage or manipulation might have influenced the election results.
"A strange phenomenon occurred in the AMK (Youth Wing), where only the 'head' — the AMK chief — was 'cut off', while the deputy and the rest of the committee were elected.
"A similar situation unfolded in the women's wing, where only the top two positions were disrupted," he added.
Akmal previously held the Johor Baru division chief post and was widely viewed as the frontrunner in the contest.
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