Ex-Melaka rep says PKR grassroots voice sometimes ignored when choosing candidates for polls, govt posts

Ex-Melaka rep says PKR grassroots voice sometimes ignored when choosing candidates for polls, govt posts



Datuk Ginie Lim Siew Lin, a former Melaka state assemblyman, today suggested that grassroots voice is sometimes ignored when PKR’s top leaders pick candidates to stand in an election or fill in official posts. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Sunday, 26 Nov 2023 2:54 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Nov 26 — Datuk Ginie Lim Siew Lin, a former Melaka state assemblyman, today suggested that grassroots voice is sometimes ignored when PKR’s top leaders pick candidates to stand in an election or fill in official posts.


Addressing delegates at the party’s 2023 congress here as the Melaka delegate, she called on the party leadership to embrace criticism, reminding them of their duty to respect the party structure when making decisions.

“I hope the party’s leaders will be open to criticism...I hope they can respect the party’s power structure just as how division and branch leaders do,” the former Machap Jaya representative said.


“They need to remember when there are floods, fire or strong thunder blowing a roof, sickness or death it is the division and branch leader who is the frontliner, it is this leader who will be the first to go down to the ground to hand out assistance and support.”


She claimed some of these decisions on candidates bypassed procedures, and have led to poor choices.

Party branches, while occupying the lowest level of a political party’s power structure, are extremely important because they act as the first point of contact with voters.

Lim said PKR has put in place a system that gives weight to the voices of leaders at the branch level, usually comprising community leaders, but suggested they are often bypassed.

“The branch is the party’s official administrator at the grassroots level,” the Melaka PKR vice-chief said.

“So when the top leadership makes calls on political appointments or election candidates without including branch members, they will be sidelined and this will end up with the people being sidelined.”

Lim’s complaint has been raised by many delegates in past congresses before.

Many PKR grassroots leaders said the party’s top leadership have the tendency to make unilateral decisions about election candidates, sometimes “parachuting” figures with little connection into their constituency.

PKR’s top leaders often respond by saying they listen to the views of everyone in the party, and any decisions regarding candidates take into consideration “all factors” but most importantly the ability to win.