Saifuddin Nasution (centre) at the mini exhibition of National Intellectual Property Corporation at Menara Kembar Bank Rakyat.. — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to vacate the Port Dickson parliamentary seat to make way for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in a by-election was made at a party political bureau meeting, said PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He also denied claims by some quarters that the decision was made ‘without a meeting’.
“The meeting is held every Tuesday at 8.30pm. Did we discuss the matter? Yes and it was decided at the political bureau meeting,” he told a press conference after the National Intellectual Property Award 2018 here yesterday.
He was commenting on the statement by PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin who voiced her concerns over the transparency of the party’s decision-making process.
She had said the decision would not only create confusion among the public but would seem that PKR was being manipulated by certain groups.
Saifuddin Nasution said the criticism should not have arisen as Zuraida was herself a member of the PKR political bureau.
On Wednesday, Port Dickson parliamentary seat incumbent Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah announced his immediate resignation as the MP for the constituency to pave way for the PKR president-elect to return to Parliament.
Meanwhile in Petaling Jaya, PKR vice-president Dr A Xavier Jayakumar said all party members would give their full support to Anwar to contest the seat.
“We have been waiting for this moment for so long, all the party members accept the decision.
“We will provide unwavering support (to Anwar) and will go down the ground to help in his campaign and ensure his victory,” he told reporters here today.
In Johor Bahru, state PKR chairman Hassan Abdul Karim said all 26 PKR divisions in the state would be mobilised to strengthen the party machinery and assist in the campaign for Anwar in the coming Port Dickson parliamentary by-election.
“At the party level, we fully support him (Anwar). Therefore, all MPs and assemblymen in the state will assist him in the by-election campaign,” he said in a statement yesterday. — Bernama