MELAKA: Melaka PKR has slammed those turning Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim into a “scapegoat” for the coalition’s dismal performance in the Melaka election.

       Its deputy chairman Datuk Gue Teck said it was unfair to put the blame solely on the PKR president as other parties in Pakatan should also take responsibility for the poor performance.

       “Anwar has been turned into a sacrificial lamb by those who are not willing to admit their own weakness in wooing the voters,” he said here yesterday.

       The state PKR grassroots also voiced their regret over the attempt to blame Anwar, saying that poor results were due to the failure of Melaka Pakatan’s election machinery to systematically organise the campaign for their candidates.

       “Most of them were clueless on what to do and they now blame it on Anwar. Why is the Melaka Pakatan chief not coming out to take the blame for not achieving the desired results in the polls?” said Azlan Othman, a PKR member.

       “The problem lies in the weakness in Pakatan’s state election council and not Anwar.”

       He claimed that the state leaders were not organised, especially in terms of logistics, to reach out to the constituents during the campaign period.

       “They also lacked the synergy to achieve a common goal during the meetings prior to the Nov 20 polls.

       “PKR was also not aware of Amanah’s campaign schedules and all of us failed to work collectively,” said Azlan.

       Another Melaka PKR member, Md Yusof Abdullah, said DAP, too, should shoulder the blame for the mediocre performance.

       “You were part of the team and now gradually place the blame on Anwar. Every leader in Pakatan should take responsibility, including those in the state,” he said.

       Another member, who requested anonymity, said it was not surprising for DAP to pin the blame on Anwar.

       “It’s a smart way to get sympathy and now they have successfully embedded the notion among grassroots supporters that the defeat was caused by the defection of two Umno assemblymen who later contested under Pakatan’s banner and lost.

       “The theory of accepting party-hoppers has yet to be proven until the outcome of the post-mortem on Pakatan’s performance,” he said.