PKR polls off to a shaky start

SUNGAI PETANI: PKR’s e-voting at the Kedah party polls got off to a controversial start with a fracas and claims of sabotage.

A member was even bashed with sticks till he bled from the head at the Merbok division election held at a hotel here yesterday.

Polls in seven other divisions had to be postponed.

The Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) had to be called in to restore order.

The stick fight was recorded and the clip went viral after being uploaded on social media. A woman was heard crying out for the police.

Kuala Muda OCPD Asst Comm Adzli Abu Shah said the injured member was rushed to a nearby hospital.

He said four men were arrested over the fight, which broke out at about 11am.

“We seized four wooden sticks believed to have been used in the fight,” he said.

One of the arrested PKR members being attended to by a medical officer.  

“The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting with weapons,” he added.

The PKR e-voting yesterday involved members in Kedah and Penang.

The focus was on the battle for the deputy presidency. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim won the president’s post uncontested on Aug 5.

Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali is being challenged by former Pandan MP and party vice-president Rafizi Ramli.

Kedah PKR chairman Dr Azman Ismail, who is the Kuala Kedah MP, said there were technical glitches involving the voting app and poor Internet connectivity.

“In some places such as Baling and Sik, there was hardly any mobile phone connection.

“And there were issues with the voting app. There were names of candidates that did not appear although they were listed, and the app was hanging most of the time,” Dr Azman said.

Dr Azman said the app was fine during the test run in the Klang Valley.

“We apologise to all our members,” he said.

“This is the first time any party has done electronic voting.

“There is no precedent and I am sure everyone has learned something.

“Someday, every party in Malaysia will conduct electronic voting and since we are the first, there would surely be problems,” he said.

Dr Azman said the party’s central election unit would meet to decide how to complete the state elections.

The divisions that faced postponements were Merbok, Sungai Petani, Sik, Kulim, Langkawi, Baling, Padang Serai and Jerai.