PKR Youth chief Kamil Munim has called on the party to acknowledge the challenges of pursuing reform while in government, saying the experience differs significantly from championing the same agenda from the opposition benches.
He said the distinction should not be viewed negatively but instead used as an opportunity for PKR to assess its performance, identify weaknesses and reshape its political strategy.
“This is the bitter reality we must accept with an open mind. The people have sent us a clear message,” he said when officiating the PKR Wanita and Youth congresses here today.
His remarks appeared to refer to Pakatan Harapan’s performance in the recent state elections, where PKR and its allies faced setbacks in several contests.
Kamil said the party needed to return to its fundamental principles by strengthening its grassroots machinery so that public support could be converted into actual electoral victories.
He stressed that popularity alone could not guarantee success at the ballot box, with sustained engagement at the community level remaining essential to winning voters’ confidence.
“Popularity alone is not enough. We need to win over the people, and that starts at the grassroots,” he said.
Kamil said the Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections had exposed weaknesses within PKR’s grassroots network, adding that these shortcomings must be addressed ahead of future polls.
He also urged party members to use the congresses as platforms for constructive criticism, suggestions and advice, rather than simply celebrations of the party’s achievements.
PKR recorded a weak performance in the three state elections, securing only one seat each in Sabah and Johor and two seats in Negeri Sembilan.
Kamil said strengthening the party from the ground up would be crucial to ensuring that PKR’s reform message remains relevant to voters and translates into stronger electoral support in the future.
