KUALA LUMPUR: The Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Special Congress, scheduled for this Sunday, Dec 15, will include amendments to the party’s Constitution, focusing on the number of representatives, as well as gender and ethnic quotas.
PKR secretary-general Dr. Fuziah Salleh stated that the constitutional amendments would align with democratic engagement principles, granting party members the right to vote for leaders in future leadership elections.
“All branch members have the right to vote and elect their leaders. If a branch has more members, it will be allocated a proportionately higher number of representatives to vote at the congress,“ she said during an interview with Bernama TV on the Ruang Bicara programme titled Wanita Dalam Reformasi Politik Malaysia (Women in Malaysia’s Political Reform) aired last night.
The Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, said the proposed constitutional amendments stem from discussions within the Central Leadership Council, to enhance the party’s election process and ensure the credibility of its leadership selection.
“We agreed to increase representation at our Central Leadership Council level. We found that only 30% or 300,000 of the one million party members are active. Among the active members, we estimate only 30,000 are truly committed and consistently engaged at the grassroots level,“ she said.
Fuziah explained that the Special Congress, to be held at Dewan Raja Muda Musa in Shah Alam, would adopt a hybrid format, considering that some representatives hail from flood-affected states.
“According to records from the 2024 Annual General Meeting, the total number of representatives is 2,428 members. However, representatives from flood-affected states can participate online. We also have a system allowing them to vote online,“ she added.
Regarding the PKR National Congress, she said it is expected to be held no later than May next year.
“Based on the Registrar of Societies, we are bound to hold it within 18 months after the last congress, which took place Nov 25-26, 2023. The latest we can hold the National Congress is by May 2025 to comply with the party’s constitution,“ she clarified.
Fuziah also emphasised the importance of women stepping up to hold significant positions in the party and embodying strong leadership qualities.
“At Akademi Keadilan, we nurture many young talents, especially women. I see many with leadership potential, but they lack confidence. It’s not that the party doesn’t provide opportunities; rather, they are still fearful,“ she said.
