KUALA LUMPUR – A meagre 10 women, out of a long, male-dominated list of 70 candidates, will be vying for a seat in PKR’s central leadership council (MPP) for the 2022 to 2024 term, making up just 14.2% of the overall figure.
This is according to the candidates list released by the party on its election website, which will among others feature party newcomer Maszlee Malik, who only officially joined the party in November last year.
Maszlee recently won the Simpang Renggam PKR division chief post in the just-concluded party polls last month.
Among the women figures contesting the 20 MPP positions up for grabs are Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, Merbok MP Nor Azrina Surip, Hulu Selangor lawmaker June Leow and Tangga Batu MP Rusnah Aluai, who shot to prominence last year when she said drinking Timah-branded whiskey is like “drinking Malay women”.
Also competing are Bukit Lanjan assemblyman Elizabeth Wong, former Machap Jaya representative Datuk Ginie Lim, Wanita PKR communications director Loh Ker Chean, outgoing Wanita vice-chief Datin Faizah Ariffin, former senator Siti Aishah Shaik Ismail and outgoing Lembah Pantai Wanita chief Raiyan Abdul Rahim.
The measly representation for women in the MPP candidates list is a far cry from PKR’s 30% target, which the party has set for years, for women members to fill its decision-making positions.
Pakatan Harapan, of which PKR is a component member, has also been pushing for more women representation and had promised in its previous election manifesto to have at least 30% of policymakers comprising women.
According to the candidates list, other prominent individuals who are vying for a seat at PKR’s high table are celebrity politicians Datuk Afdlin Shauki Aksan and Datuk Hans Isaac, both recently having lost in their bid to become division chiefs, in Setiawangsa and Ampang respectively.
Former student activist Fahmi Zainol, who fell short in his quest to be the party’s new Youth chief, has also offered himself to be an MPP member.
Others contesting for a position include Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul, Johor Baru MP Akmal Nasir, Subang MP Wong Chen, Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Sungai Buloh MP Sivarasa Rasiah, Sg Siput MP S. Kesavan and Melaka PKR chief Datuk Abdul Halim Bachik.
Voting for the MPP positions will be held during the PKR convention later this month, with the results also to be announced then. – The Vibes, June 8, 2022
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