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Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Dr M's latest ‘Malay unity' effort also bound to fizzle out, say analysts
On Wednesday, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad launched the Malay secretariat committee, intended as an umbrella body to unite all Malays and restore their political power. PETALING JAYA : Two analysts have poured cold water on Dr Mahathir Mohamad's latest effort to unite the Malays and restore their political power, expecting it to fizzle out like the former prime minister's other initiatives. Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's Mazlan Ali said Mahathir's previous initiatives, namely the formation of Pejuang and the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition, have both failed. Neither pundit believes this proposed new movement will gain traction, saying that most Malays will see it as just another political ploy, especially given that both PAS and Bersatu have offered Mahathir their backing. Azmi said Mahathir may be seeking to replicate the success of Muafakat Nasional (MN), the now defunct Umno-PAS pact, which, at its highest point, led a protest attended by more than 55,000 Malays against the then Pakatan Harapan government in 2018. Azmi Hassan. However, he said Mahathir's proposed 'Malay secretariat committee' would not work without Umno's involvement. This is why Mahathir was courting Umno members without inviting the party to join as a whole, Azmi added. 'The reason MN enjoyed a short period of success in the past was because the Malays at that particular time saw a threat in the PH government. Ironically, Mahathir was the prime minister then. 'When there is a threat to the Malays, they will join forces, as seen during the 2018 protest. But right now there is no such urgency, especially for Umno members, to be part of Mahathir's current effort,' Azmi told FMT. Mazlan said Mahathir's Perikatan Nasional-backed Malay secretariat was likely a political strategy ahead of the next general election (GE16) but is unlikely to bear fruit. Mazlan Ali. 'I don't see Mahathir as having the gravitas to unite the Malays, because many of his actions seem inconsistent, so the people don't really believe him. 'People will just see it as a political agenda, not an agenda to unite the Malays. A genuine agenda to unite the Malays must be non-partisan.' He added that not all members of the community believed in the idea of restoring Malay political power, saying Malaysia's multiracial environment meant that political cooperation across all races was a necessity. Mahathir launched his new Malay unity alliance on Wednesday. The longtime former Umno president, who later led Bersatu, Pejuang and GTA, said the alliance would not be a formal political party for now but a loose coalition to gather the Malays under one 'big umbrella'. Azmi said the other issue with the 'umbrella' was that it was led by the same old faces — Mahathir, former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, and PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. He preferred former law minister Zaid Ibrahim's proposal of a new movement to unite the Malays led by leaders under the age of 50 with proven success in various fields. 'I think the younger generation needs to be at the forefront, not Mahathir, because Mahathir and his team in the committee have their own political agenda. 'Malay professionals don't have a political agenda, so I think that's the way to do it if we want to gather all the Malays under one roof.'
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Dr M in cycle of failed political experiments, says Umno man
Dr Mahathir Mohamad launched the 'Malay secretariat committee' yesterday with Perikatan Nasional leaders. PETALING JAYA : Dr Mahathir Mohamad's new platform to unite the Malays, in which he has invited Umno members to join, is nothing more than part of a repeated cycle of failed political experiments, says an Umno leader. Kedah Umno information chief Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin said the former prime minister has repeatedly failed to unite the Malays through other political platforms in the past, including Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA). 'Malay politics cannot be built on nostalgic rhetoric and repeated attempts to form new, loosely structured coalitions without a clear struggle or foundation. 'What we need today is not another splinter group but a determination to strengthen the existing political institutions that have proven their service to the Malays and nation,' Shaiful told FMT. GTA, which at the time also comprised Mahathir's former party Pejuang, saw all of its candidates losing their deposits in the 2022 general election (GE15). This included the former prime minister. The loose coalition of political parties, NGOs and professionals was established ahead of GE15 but folded a year later after Mahathir, its founding chairman, admitted that the movement was no longer functioning. Prior to that, Mahathir had founded Pejuang with other former Bersatu leaders but left the party in February 2023. Yesterday, Mahathir invited Umno members to join his 'Malay secretariat committee', formed in hopes of uniting the Malays and 'restoring Malay power' in government. He said the coalition, which includes PAS and Bersatu, is not a formal political party for now, but a broad umbrella to safeguard the political and economic future of the Malays. Commenting on this, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said such a movement should be led by a new group of leaders under the age of 50, with proven success in their respective fields, whether politics, business, academia, civil society or entrepreneurship. However, Shaiful rubbished Zaid's proposal, saying it gave the impression that the Malays had no choice but to continue being subjects of failed political experiments. He added that Zaid's proposed 'leadership cohort' would get zero trust from Malays on the ground or consistent political loyalty. 'The Malays are not forgetful. They still remember his political history that was constantly changing directions and often rejected the fundamentals of the Malay struggle,' he said.
The Star
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
No cracks in PKR following division polls results, says sec-gen
JOHOR BARU: PKR secretary-general Dr Fuziah Salleh ( pic ) dismisses speculation that cracks are appearing within the party due to its divisional election results. She added that she has been on a nationwide pre-congress roadshow, including in Sabah and Sarawak, before the PKR congress to be held here for three days from May 22. 'The message that I get from them is very clear. I can see that their spirit of unity is very strong and hopefully they can bring the same energy to our congress,' she added. Fuziah, who is also the Deputy Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister, said this at a press conference after carrying out a visit to a cooking oil packet packaging factory at Kempas here on Wednesday (May 14). She added that PKR had appointed a third party auditor based overseas to look into its recent election results where it showed there was no irregularities. 'There is no tampering or even compromise made in the election. In fact, based on the audit result, it showed that the PKR election followed international standards,' she said. On the upcoming PKR congress to be held here from May 22 to 24, Fuziah said it would be the largest in PKR's history with almost 30,000 delegates expected to cast their votes. 'More than 9,000 delegates will be carrying out physical voting while some 20,000 delegates would cast their votes online next Friday (May 23),' she said. On Sunday (May 11), PKR refuted claims by party deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli that complaints and objections related to its elections were ignored. The party's central election committee deputy chairman Datuk Ahmad Kasim said these allegations were untrue. He said every complaint and objection received is taken seriously and handled professionally, fairly and according to regulations. 'The membership list used is the latest received from the secretary-general's office, verified through the electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) process, before being updated as the official voter list. 'Claims that the committee ignored complaints and objections are untrue and regrettable,' he said in a statement. Rafizi had earlier claimed that the committee had failed to carry out its duties when individuals allegedly joined PKR temporarily for the election period, allowing them to vote and contest in recent branch elections. He also claimed that the committee had failed to check the membership status of individuals from other parties, allowing those from parties like Umno and Pejuang to contest and win branch positions. To this, Ahmad said party election regulations were approved by the central leadership council on Feb 23 and confirmed by the party's political bureau on March 3. He pointed out that Rafizi was a member of both decision-making bodies. 'The regulations clearly state that every objection or appeal must be accompanied by sufficient evidence, and the burden of proof lies with the person lodging the objection or appeal. 'A total of 289 complaints and objections were received, covering various stages of the process including nominations, objections to nominations, appeals, finalising candidate lists, campaigns and voting processes. 'All these complaints have been thoroughly examined, with some referred to the secretary-general's office and the party disciplinary board for further action as per their jurisdiction,' he said. He added that the committee had also reviewed objections to voting results after the branch elections and presented them in the council meeting. 'The council has made decisions for six selected branches along with the international auditors appointed by the council to represent all issues related to branch voting results raised. 'The international auditor's report shared by Rafizi proves that the e-voting system is in good condition, secure, and there is no evidence of manipulation or fraud,' Ahmad said.
New Straits Times
11-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Rafizi takes Dr Zaliha to task over PKR election irregularities
SERDANG: PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has taken to task the party's election committee, led by Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, for its poor handling of alleged irregularities in the party's internal election process, including at the divisional level. Rafizi said the committee had failed to address key issues, such as candidates from other parties slipping through and contesting in PKR elections. "I have long raised this concern within the party. My worry is that when we are in power, people scramble to join because we're too eager to accept new members. "Some of these individuals are what I call 'Airbnb members'. They join during election season and disappear afterwards. "I have to call this out. If the committee or Zaliha is unhappy, so be it. This is their responsibility. It is supposed to be an independent body that screens everything," he said during the Yang Bakar Menteri: Yang Berhenti Menteri programme last night. "When objections are raised, they must respond to each one. Sometimes there are hundreds of objections that go unanswered. When we ask about them, they pretend not to know. "And only after all the divisional elections are done do they open up for objections. By then, people are already angry," Rafizi, who is also Economy Minister, added. He also blamed PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh for failing to detect non-members, including those from Umno, who managed to contest for party posts. "Membership issues fall under Fuziah. Objections related to outsiders contesting are within the secretary-general's jurisdiction. She must act, and so must election committee," he said. Rafizi added that the PKR election process requires serious reform, especially by the election committee as it is the party's first line of defence. "Whoever becomes the next election committee chair must realise how heavy the responsibility is. You are the frontline defence of the party. "When the grassroots file complaints, don't take them lightly. I believe those who lodge objections do so out of love and concern for the party. "The chair must scrutinise properly and request evidence when there are the committee can't handle all of them, at least filter as many as possible. "If that means adding more members to the committee to handle objections, then do so, otherwise, it's like crying over spilt milk," he said. He was responding to a participant's question on claims that Umno and Pejuang members had contested and even won posts in PKR's divisional elections.
Daily Express
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
PKR top leadership polls nomination delay unrelated to Rafizi's leave, says Zaliha
Published on: Saturday, May 03, 2025 Published on: Sat, May 03, 2025 By: Chia Wan Rou, FMT Text Size: Central election committee chairman Dr Zaliha Mustafa said an independent audit into election complaints is ongoing, with a report due in the coming days. Kuala Lumpur: PKR central election committee chairman Dr Zaliha Mustafa denies that the postponement of its central leadership council nominations for the upcoming polls was in any way linked to Rafizi Ramli taking leave from his duties as economy minister. She explained that the decision to delay the nominations was made by the party's central leadership to allow more time for preparations ahead of the national congress later this month. 'Due to recent constitutional amendments, there are several new requirements that we must fulfil. For example, the delegates list (must be updated) and so on, as it is based on the percentage of votes secured by each candidate for the youth wing and women's wing. 'More time is needed to complete these preparations, and we are working closely with the secretary-general's office. 'Of course, it has nothing to do with Rafizi, as the prime minister (Anwar Ibrahim) has already said, taking leave is normal,' she told a press conference after an event today. Zaliha's comments came in response to questions about the reasons for the delay and whether it was related to Rafizi's time off. PKR president Anwar Ibrahim yesterday addressed the issue, calling Rafizi's leave a 'non-issue' and joking that he himself was looking forward to having a few days off. Shortly after, PKR announced in a statement that the nominations for the central leadership council elections would be postponed from May 3 and 4 to May 8 and 9, without providing further details. Allegations of irregularities have plagued PKR's divisional elections following the implementation of a blockchain-based voting system, while the party has appointed independent auditors to look into the complaints. Its election committee has held fresh polls for four divisions following objections by defeated candidates and the discovery that one winner was still a member of Pejuang, a party led by Mukhriz Mahathir. Several Cabinet members, MPs and state assemblymen, including PKR vice-presidents Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, K Saraswathy, Akmal Nasir and Adam Adli lost in the divisional elections. Some of these individuals are reportedly aligned with PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli. Malaysiakini recently reported that Rafizi denied he had quit his ministerial post after he took leave from his duties. Zaliha also confirmed that the independent auditors had visited PKR's offices and are reviewing the election process. 'We've handed over everything they requested. God willing, we'll receive their report in a few days,' she said. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
