No surprises in PKR’s final election results

PETALING JAYA: Gombak MP Azmin Ali has romped home in the race for the deputy presidency, garnering a majority of about 14,000 votes.

His sole challenger, Perak PKR chief Mustafa Kamil Ayub, is said to have obtained about 3,145 votes.
Party insiders said Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, Batu MP Tian Chua and Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh are likely to have won three of the four vice-presidencies.

The last VP post is said to be a tussle between Penang PKR chief Dr Mansor Othman, Selangor executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar and Padang Serai MP N. Gobalakrishnan.

The official results are not expected to be announced until the PKR Congress scheduled to be held here over the weekend. Polling for central positions closed yesterday.

The sources said incumbents Zuraida Kamaruddin and Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin were retained as the PKR Wanita and Youth chiefs respectively.

Meanwhile, Tian Chua, who is the PKR strategic director, said the party would focus on the coming general election rather than get caught up in internal bickering.

“It is vital to focus on strategies to take on the Barisan Nasional rather than waste time discussing alleged manipulations by certain quarters. We must not let such allegations weaken our resolve,” he said.

In George Town, the Penang Pakatan Rakyat launched its election machinery at its first state convention held last night.

Five resolutions were passed concerning the economy and housing, education and youth, inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations, security, and administration and politics. Penang Pakatan chairman Lim Guan Eng, who is the Chief Minister, said the relationship between Pakatan leaders was growing closer.