PKR may hold EGM to end bickering between pro-PAS and anti-PAS factions

PETALING JAYA: PKR grassroots leaders who are against working with PAS in the next general election claimed on Monday that 56 party divisions have agreed to push for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to end the internal bickering between two "camps" over the matter within a month.
This came just a day after party vice-president Rafizi Ramli suggested that a special congress be held to decide whether the party should continue talking to the Islamist party ahead of the polls, Oriental Daily News reported today.
Based on the PKR constitution, the party will have to hold an EGM should a third or more of its 218 divisions requisition for it.
This means the anti-PAS camp needs to get the support of at least 17 more divisions to reach the EGM threshold figure of 73.
Speaking to the press in Cheras on Monday after setting up the Pakatan Harapan taskforce with Rembau division chairman Yusuf Tapa as its chief, division leaders from the camp said they will try to get the support of more divisions to requisition the EGM within a month.
On Sunday, Rafizi, who is Pandan MP, said the PKR leadership and grassroots were split over the overtures displayed by the party towards PAS.
He went to the extent of showing to the media a list of party leaders who are either pro or against continuing talking to PAS on electoral seats in the run-up to the 14th general election (GE14).
Yusuf said it could not be ascertained if deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali's intention to talk with Selangor PAS had the blessings of party chief Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, but the grassroots were getting confusing signals, which would also affect the party's relationship with its partners in Pakatan Harapan.
"With GE14 around the corner, we feel that whether the party should continue talking to PAS should be decided through balloting by grassroots members and not by the top leadership," he said.