KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) does not have an issue with Sangetha Jayakumar's appointment as a board member of the Port Klang Authority (PKA) as it is a statutory body and not a government-linked company (GLCs).
PKR party information chief Fahmi Fadzil said this in response to criticism from a number of social media users to the appointment recently.
Clarifying the party's stand on such appointments, he said PKR has only been against political appointments to GLCs, but not statutory bodies.
"There's a difference between statutory bodies and GLCs. What we have been critical of is the political appointments to GLCs.
"Statutory bodies are different. So, there is no problem with Sangeetha's appointment to PKA," said Fahmi.
Fahmi who is also the Communication Minister said he would highlight the matter to the Cabinet for better clarity of the appointment process and the grouses mentioned by the people in this appointment to its attention.
However, he admitted that there could be greater clarity in principle.
"Perhaps, (in future) we can encourage ministers to make sure these appointments are done transparently, with the public also being made aware (of similar appointments)," Fahmi said.
Bersih, meanwhile urged the government to set up a special committee to monitor such appointments to GLCs and other statutory bodies today.
It was reported that Sangetha who is the Wanita PKR vice-chief had confirmed her latest appointment to PKA on her Facebook through a post.
The post on her new appointment drew criticism as many compared it being contradictory to her stand previously.
They referred the post to a tweet she had put up in October 2020 about the Perikatan Nasional government giving out GLC positions to party members to garner support.