Fahmi takes dig at Zuraida joining PBM, cites 'rather dull' results in Johor polls

KUALA LUMPUR: Ampang MP Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin's decision to join Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) will not pose any threat to PKR, says Fahmi Fadzil.

The PKR communications director says that he believes party members would not be influenced to join PBM.

"PBM's performance in the recent Johor state polls was rather dull. They are relatively unknown and even when the Tebrau MP contested using the PBM ticket, the response was not good," he told reporters at an open house hosted by Lembah Pantai PKR on Sunday (May 29).

During the recent Johor election, former PKR man Steven Choong contested under a PBM ticket, but lost in the running for the Puteri Wangsa state seat.

Choong only managed to get 2,471 votes (4.67%). The party also lost its deposit in the remaining three seats it contested in.

"If you say there are those who want to jump, I think all of them have jumped during the Sheraton move. In Lembah Pantai, those who had jumped to exit the party previously have now applied to re-join PKR," added the Lembah Pantai MP.

On the low voting turnout for the PKR polls, Fahmi said that there are several factors contributing to the issue.

Fahmi – who is running for the vice-president's post - added that the party would look into the matter in detail to determine how to improve participation in the party polls.

The party election that took place from May 13 until May 22 was marred by technical glitches that disrupted polling in several divisions last weekend as well as allegations of phantom voters.

It also witnessed a low turnout, with less than 13% of the party’s 1.1 million members coming out to vote in person or doing it online.