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The Lembah Pantai MP said although he respected the right of PKR delegates to choose their top leadership, the party could reserve a quota for leaders from various communities.
He was commenting on the multiracial party’s new central leadership council (MPP) which does not feature any Indian, Sabahan or Sarawakian leader.
Fahmi said some had proposed a DAP-like quota system. The party reserves 30% of seats on its Central Executive Committee for women leaders.
“Perhaps we in PKR need to evaluate our election process. This is important to ensure we have women, youth and representatives from (the various) states and races in top positions,” he told FMT.
He said the lack of representation from the Indian community, Sabah and Sarawak could be resolved as PKR president Anwar Ibrahim had the power to appoint more members to the MPP.
“The election is democratic in nature and it is the same during a general election where the candidate with the highest number of votes wins,” he said, adding he was confident Anwar would remedy the situation.
Political analyst Azmi Hassan from Akademi Nusantara said the party needed to ensure Indians, Sabahans and Sarawakians were represented in its top leadership.
“It is understandable if there are no Indians, Sabahans or Sarawakians holding the posts of deputy president, vice president, Youth and Wanita chief, but in the MPP which decides on policies, the absence of representatives from these communities is shocking and saddening.”
Universiti Malaya’s Awang Azman Pawi said the absence of top leaders from the Indian community, Sabah and Sarawak could lead to a drop in support for the party from these communities.
He said PKR must appoint representatives from these communities to ensure the party continued to remain relevant and multiracial.
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