Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and vice-president Azmin Ali must step aside as they are the source of the party's problems.
In issuing the call, former PKR supreme council member Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said the party needs a new set of leaders to move forward. Zaid withdrew from the deputy presidential race and resigned from all party posts on Monday, citing dissapointment with party leaders for failing to address the issues that had arisen.
Speaking at a press conference at his house today, Zaid said it is high time PKR leaders stopped blaming others for their losses, and instead, take reformative actions, beginning with a change in the leadership.
"It is not that we don't appreciate their contributions, but times have changed. Anwar and Azmin must step aside because they are the source of the problems," he said adding that Azmin should also be "disqualified" from the deputy presidential race. Also present in a show of support for Zaid was Azmin's rival for post of deputy president, Mustaffa Kamil Ayub.
"If he (Anwar) does not see the fraud that has been going on the past two months, then I think he has also lost touch with the party," Zaid said in response to Anwar's challenge to him to furnish evidence of electoral fraud in the ongoing PKR polls. I am not here to do a mud-slinging match with Anwar. However, the problems that have arisen today is a manifestation of Anwar's weakness and lack of focus as a leader," said Zaid.
"The fact that we can't even organise an election shows that we are weak," said Zaid who described the election as being "in shambles". Among various reported incidents involving irregularities during the election process which he cited as having tainted the ongoing PKR polls are:
1. the total number of votes announced by the central election committee (JPP) does not tally with the number of registered voters. For example, in Kubang Pasu division, the recorded attendance was 84 voters, but it was announced that Zaid had garnered 76 votes, Azmin 80 and Mustaffa two;
2. Delays in the opening of voting centres, particularly during the first day of elections, for example in Kota Baru and Tumpat in Kelantan; Several JPP members were caught on camera wearing a button badge that bore the photo of a contesting deputy president. Asked as to the turning point that sparked the party's downfall, Zaid said: "After 2008 (general elections), the problems started. Sometimes winning is also a problem, because then you will start dreaming."
Meanwhile, despite having relinquished all of his positions in the party, Zaid reassured his supporters that he will not be quitting as a party member. "My vision has not wavered. It was the reason I ran. I have a very clear notion of how politics in this country needs to be transformed, and very definite views on what leadership means," he added.