PARTI Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) needs to strengthen its machinery and woo the public with community programmes for young voters to gain their support in the upcoming 16th general election (GE16).
Its vice-president, Nurul Izzah Anwar said a study conducted showed that 68 per cent of youth were not interested in politics, so the party had a role to take on this challenge.
“We understand, they (the 18-year-old voters) vote based on who their friends choose, if they hear their parents voting for Party A, they would vote for Party C, they won’t follow, they want to rebel. This is the challenge we face.
“When we talk in the context of the 68 per cent of youth not interested in politics, this means we need to ensure that the community programme jibes with their spirit,” she said during her speech at the party’s North Zone grassroots outreach programme at Dewan Ng Yam Huat in Bukit Mertajam as reported by Bernama.
Also present were PKR Women’s Chief Fadhlina Sidek and Penang state leadership council deputy chairman Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid.
Izzah, who is contesting the deputy president’s post for the 2025-2028 session, also reminded members not to forget the party’s history that had met and overcome various challenges since its founding on April 4, 1999.
When asked about a suggested debate between her and her rival Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, she said she would focus more on meeting the party grassroots in the last five days before the party election.
Izzah also stressed that she wanted to focus on GE16 and several upcoming state elections, something she described as more important than party elections.
Izzah and Rafizi will be contesting the PKR deputy party presidency at the party elections next week. – May 19, 2025
