SEREMBAN: A PKR member from the Indian community will soon be appointed as one of three vice-chairmen in the state liaison committee lineup, says Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun (pic).
The state PKR chief and Mentri Besar said the party was still looking for a suitable candidate to fill the vacancy.
This comes after some PKR members claimed the decision not to appoint anyone from the Indian community to senior positions in the state committee will cost the party dearly in the coming general election.
"We still have one vacant position for vice chairman. We will appoint a member from the Indian community to the position soon.
"It is wrong to say that we are sidelining the Indian community or anyone else," he told reporters when met after chairing the state exco meeting.
Under the new state line-up announced last Thursday, the most senior position held by an Indian is deputy treasurer.
Upset by this, some members said representatives from the community had previously held two senior positions.
Former Rembau division head R. Tanggam said when he was Rasah division head, he was also vice chairman I while Port Dickson chief Datuk M. Ravi was state number two.
When Tanggam moved to the Rembau division and became its head, he was made vice chairman II while Ravi remained as deputy.
Asked on his decision not to re-appoint four state assemblymen from the party to senior positions in the state liaison committee this time around, Aminuddin said this was normal.
He said it was also wrong to indicate that they would be dropped from contesting in the general election just because they no longer held senior positions in the state lineup.
The four were state legislative assembly Deputy Speaker and Sri Tanjung assemblyman Datuk M. Ravi, state excos Datuk Dr Mohamad Rafie Ab Malek (Ampangan), Mohamad Nazaruddin Sabtu (Pilah) and Datuk Michael Yek (Chuah).
The four are now just normal committee members by virtue of being appointed by Aminuddin.
"It does not mean that one must be given a senior position in the state committee just because you are an assemblyman.
"It is just like in Melaka where Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, who is known to everyone, is now only a committee member," he said.
Shamsul, who is Hang Tuah Jaya MP, had lost in his bid for the top post in the Hang Tuah Jaya party polls.
"As members, we need to accept changes.
"I am also the head of Melaka PKR now, but this post will also go once the general election is over," he said.
Aminuddin said it was the same in other states, where a position as MP or assemblyman does not guarantee one a senior post in the party.
Aminuddin said the party president will have the final say on the party's candidates for the coming general election.
"The same rule applies to me. I can also be dropped at the last minute.
"The president has the veto power after discussions are held at the lower level, including by a committee set up to vet the potential candidates," he said, adding that he would abide by the decision in the event he was asked to sit out the general election.
