PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil has blamed Pakatan Harapan’s rivals for a fake letter ordering party members not to vote in tomorrow’s Tanjung Piai by-election.
In a statement this afternoon, Fahmi said the fake letter, bearing the signature of party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, has been widely circulated.
“It is clear the letter is the work of Harapan’s political adversaries to create misunderstanding between PKR members and friends in Harapan.
“This is a vile and desperate act by those who refuse to engage in healthy politics,” he added.
Fahmi, who is also the Lembah Pantai MP, reiterated PKR’s support for Harapan candidate Karmaine Sardini.
He urged all PKR members to assist and vote to ensure Karmaine, who is from PKR’s coalition partner Bersatu, wins the parliament seat in Johor.
According to the letter, the PKR political bureau, on the instruction of president Anwar Ibrahim, decided to issue an order to members not to cast their ballots.
“This decision was made with the purpose of exerting political pressure on (Prime Minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to adhere to the transition of power agreement…
“You are requested to convey this (don’t vote message) to all members and voters of PKR,” read the letter.
Despite both Mahathir and Anwar’s repeated assurance that the succession plan would proceed as promised, speculation has been rife that the baton would not be passed to the PKR president.
The letter also comes amid renewed tensions between the factions led by Anwar and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, who is speculated to be Mahathir’s preferred choice as successor.
This followed the decision to rescind the invitation letter to Azmin to officiate the PKR Youth national congress next month.
The congress is now slated to be officiated by Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is the former PKR president and Anwar’s wife.
Apart from Karmaine, others in the race for tomorrow’s by-election are BN’s Wee Jeck Seng, Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam, Berjasa’s Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz and independent candidates Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar.
Campaigning began on Nov 2.
The by-election was called after the incumbent MP, Bersatu’s Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, died of a heart attack in September. – Malaysiakini