
Stay clear of 'dikir barat' style of politics, Fadhlina tells PKR members
PKR Wanita chief Fadhlina Sidek said such a "dikir barat" style of politics could lead to division in the party when those who disagree with the majority are shunned.
"That is why we in PKR do not practise 'dikir barat' politics, where, when the tukang karut (lead chanter) speaks, everyone just follows.
"But if a member changes the lyrics, they are cast out of the group," she said in her winding-up speech at the PKR National Congress 2025.
Fadhlina, who is also the Education Minister, said she wanted to see PKR remain strong in preparing for state elections and the 16th General Election.
"I worry that if the grassroots continue to be swayed by reformist slogans and act in ways that are not aligned with the leadership, it would show a failure to grasp the top leadership's message.
"I am also concerned that if, at any point, we are not truly solid as a party in upholding our principles and fail to understand the direction of our struggle, the public will eventually question our legitimacy," she said.

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