KUALA LUMPUR – PKR’s virtual, three-day 15th National Congress, which culminates tomorrow, has been ordered suspended by the National Security Council (NSC) midway through the convention.
PKR organising secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the party received a letter from the NSC late yesterday evening that its meeting tomorrow must be called off.
The party was also informed of the decision verbally by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on the same day.
“This latest instruction by the NSC is contrary to an earlier letter sent by the council dated May 27, which stated that it has no objection to the congress being held fully online,” he said in a statement today.
“PKR has protested the decision but is forced to contend with the order.
“The central leadership council has decided to suspend the (PKR 2020 Annual) National Congress to a future date that will be announced later.”
It is still unclear at this point if NSC has provided a reason for its decision to suspend the conference.
Nik Nazmi, who is also congress director, said PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will elaborate on the NSC’s decision via a special address through the party’s Facebook page at 11am tomorrow.
“He will also touch on economic issues and Covid-19, as well as the latest political development,” he said.
The last day of the congress tomorrow was set to feature a policy speech by Anwar, as well as debates by delegates and speeches by several key party leaders.
The party completed its Women and Youth wing congresses yesterday and today respectively.
It had decided to conduct its congress virtually for the first time in 22 years following the movement control order imposed by the government, amid the Covid-19 situation in the country.
The final day of the congress was expected to be attended by some 2,400 PKR delegates and leaders via Zoom.
The annual conference was previously scheduled to take place in Shah Alam, Selangor in a hybrid manner, with some attendees attending physically and others virtually. – The Vibes, June 5, 2021
