Roughly modelled along the lines of the US presidential primary, PKR's party election machinery aims to keep the process clean and transparent.

hindraf probed by police 141008 latheefa koya Information chief Latheefa Koya ( left ) likened the party's election trail to US Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's campaign trail when they were contesting in the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination contest.

The election that is to take off mid-September will be “strictly monitored” by an election committee led by party member Molly Cheah, and she will be assisted by some 10 others to oversee the process, she said.

Lateefah told Malaysiakini today that part of the code of conduct that has been established is that the candidates will not be allowed to campaign publicly.

“Which means no posters, no banners, no buntings in public places... the most (candidates) can do is to hold ceramah or group meetings addressing members only,” she stressed.

The party is expected to announce its full campaigning guidelines next week for its divisional elections and central leadership elections.

“They cannot hold any feast for the purpose of inducing members, for example, buka puasa (breaking of fast) open house functions cannot be used to as platforms to campaign,” said Lateefah.

'Money politics difficult'

Candidates are at most allowed to distribute their leaflets to party members, but are not allowed to tarnish their opponents’ reputations.

NONE She said that they have some 100 election supervisors to oversee the 222 division elections which will take place during division annual general meetings (AGM) between Sept 17 to Oct 3.

Meanwhile, from Oct 29 to Nov 21, members at the state level will meet to cast their votes for the top leadership.

“Nomination forms cost about RM100 and that is about all the candidate pays for... the party will spend money to run an advertorial for the candidates, once they are confirmed, in the party publication.

“This will provide an equal opportunity to all leaders to have their names and a short brief about themselves published,” she added.

She added that the election committee will travel from zone to zone at the last leg of the central leadership election, and the results will be announced sometime before the party national congress in November.

NONE Asked whether there are loopholes that will lead to money politics, she said, “If there are only delegates, then maybe it is easy to manipulate the results... but it's difficult to do it with about half million members.

“It really depends on our supervisors to hold the fort, and the disciplinary committee will oversee any complaints lodged,” she said.

The party's 2010 National Congress is scheduled for Nov 26 to 28, where new leaders will be expected to chart the course towards the next general election.