Rumours are circulating within PKR that a top party leader has put forward a proposal to change the voting mechanism used in its polls by reverting to the delegate system.

It is understood that this leader, who is a member of parliament (MP), raised the proposal at a meeting late last month.

Sources said the leader's suggestion to shift from the current one-person-one-vote system in favour of the delegate system - commonly adopted by most political parties in the country - had caused dissatisfaction among some PKR leaders.

Sources said leaders opposing the proposal believed it deviated from the party's foundational principles of championing transparency and justice for all.

Sources also claimed that the proposal would be on the agenda that would be discussed when the party's political bureau meets today.

The New Straits Times reached out to several PKR leaders to verify the claim.

PKR MP Wong Chen acknowledged that the proposal exists. However, he said it had yet to be decided upon.

"It has not been decided yet," he said in a brief reply via WhatsApp.

PKR secretary-general Dr Fuziah Salleh, when contacted, described the rumours as mere speculation.

"Speculation can be misleading," she told the New Straits Times.

She, however, said the mechanism to be adopted in the next party election had yet to be decided.

"There has been no decision on the matter yet. It is still being discussed by a special committee.

"Discussions are ongoing. Nothing has been proposed yet. We will make an announcement once a decision has been reached."

Asked if a decision on the matter would be made during today's meeting, Fuziah replied: "Belum (Not yet)."

Fuziah had previously told an online news portal that PKR was deliberating on the best approach for the next party elections.

PKR Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said: "I cannot comment on the matter. I do not have any right information on the matter."

Since its establishment, PKR had adopted the delegate system to elect its leaders.

This changed in 2010 when its national congress approved a resolution to implement the "one man one vote" system for the party polls.

PKR became the first political party in Malaysia to introduce a direct election system, where every member at the branch level has the right to vote for national leaders.

The system, which has previously been plagued by allegations of e-voting device tampering and phantom membership, has since been addressed by the party.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2024/11/1132577/pkr-change-voting-mechanism