PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had refuted ‘former’ deputy president hopeful Zaid Ibrahim claims of irregularities in the ongoing party polls.

"Out of the 87 divisions that have casted their votes so far, Zaid has actually won (in) 38 divisions, as compared to 37 by Azmin Ali and 11 by Mustaffa Kamil Ayub," he said, referring to the two other deputy president candidates.

One division - Kubang Pasu - saw a Azmin and Zaid tied for votes.

NONE "So I don't know what he's talking about. If he said that the secretariat and the elections committee are biased against him, he will not even get the support 38 divisions, would he?" asked a visibly irked Saifuddin in a press conference at the party headquarters this afternoon.

He also explained that the fact that Azmin could still manage to garner more votes in the divisions which he had won in, only showed that he was better at mobilising his supporters.

"He is just better with his machinery, that's all. Politics is about mobilisation," said Saifuddin who is also the Machang MP.

Saifuddin also refuted Zaid's claims that the polls was a failure because a paltry 6,000 members turned up to vote thus far despite the party boasting 400,000 members.

"Based on the total votes for the deputy president, there are 11,670 votes cast from 87 divisions so far. I think Zaid has a problem with maths," he said.

He also alluded that Zaid may have been misinformed by his own supporters.

'Don't blame the secretariat'

Saifuddin also slammed those who had claimed irregularities in public, without filing an official complaint.

"Although we had allowed for candidates to come in and appoint their own polling agents, they still failed to mobilise their own supporters. Later, they blamed the elections committee.

"Why don't you just blame your own machinery? Don't blame the elections committee and the secretariat because we are not in charge of mobilising your supporters for you," he said, in an irate tone.

He also said that those with grievances should raise them with the committee instead of airing dirty linen in public.

"But so far we've only had six complaints. We had 170 over complaints in the divisional elections. Don't you think we would spend some time looking at the six?" he said, adding that some of the complaints were on "slanderous campaigning".

"The party elections have seen stalwarts such as Teluk Kemang MP Kamarul Baharin Abbas, Bukit Lanjan state assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong and so many others (losing). And yet they remain steadfast and loyal to the party.

"They could still put their defeat aside and campaign in the Batu Sapi and Galas by-elections, unlike some other leaders, batang hidung pun tak nampak (they are nowhere in sight)," said Saifuddin, in an obvious reference to Zaid.

'Zaid, Mustaffa should write to us'

While he said that both Zaid and Mustaffa's recent claims of irregularities as well as their call to abort the party elections will not affect the polls, Saifuddin added that it is only right that they hand in something in writing.

"Although Zaid has said that he is withdrawing from the party elections and resigning from his party posts, he is still a party member.

"And it is only his duty to forward his complaints to us so that we can take action on it," he said.

Voting for supreme council members is currently at the mid-way mark and will end on Nov 21, with 135 divisions yet to cast their ballots.

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