DATUK Seri Rafizi Ramli has revealed that he has received numerous messages urging him to leave Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), including from supporters of rival parties such as PAS, following recent internal friction during the PKR leadership election campaign.
“I’ve received many messages saying, ‘YB, I sympathise with you. Believe me, only in PAS will you be appreciated’,” Rafizi told attendees at the Jelajah Hidupkan Idealisme Reformasi Dalam Ujian Kuasa (HIRUK) event held at the Department of National Culture and Arts (JKKN) in Kelantan on Friday evening.
He firmly rejected any suggestion of party-hopping, stating, “Thank you, whether it is PAS or any other party, I am not interested. I only recognise one party. I’m in this party not because of position, even in its most chaotic state.”
Rafizi noted that such overtures often come from ordinary citizens attending his public talks, which typically draw crowds beyond just PKR members — including PAS and UMNO supporters, as well as non-partisan Malaysians.
Sinar Harian reported today that he reflected on his longstanding political presence, particularly during the days of the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat coalition, when he became widely known for exposing scandals and issues of national concern — which earned him a loyal following among PAS supporters.
“When they see me in this situation, of course some will take their chances and send messages. Whether or not I’m interested is immaterial — these are just views from ordinary supporters,” he said.
“I don’t believe any party is trying to interfere. I respect all parties, except Sanusi (Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor), who saw it fit to write a letter to Izzah (Nurul Izzah Anwar). The others have been very disciplined and respectful — no interference in the PKR elections,” he added.
Separately, Rafizi commented on the decision to proceed with the PKR leadership election for the 2025–2028 term, despite a prior agreement within the party to defer it.
He explained that the unexpected move was driven by pressure to accommodate emerging talents keen on contesting key positions.
“I’m aware there are many new faces eager to contest. One of them is Ramanan (Datuk Seri Ramanan Ramakrishnan), who seems unable to wait two more years to run for the Vice Presidency,” Rafizi said.
He added that another factor was Muhammad Kamil Abdul Muin’s eligibility, which would lapse by 2027 due to age limits. “If we had stuck to the original schedule, Kamil would no longer be eligible due to exceeding the age threshold of 35,” he said.
Rafizi lamented the instability caused by the election process, saying the party would have remained more united had it adhered to the original plan to avoid a contest.
“PKR became chaotic because many seized the opportunity, confident that after the general election, the party would secure a landslide victory. That belief came from those who never had to struggle on the ground to win elections,” he said.
“It’s the older faces who went into the trenches during the election — not the fresh faces. Some of us have lost repeatedly, lost positions since long ago, but still went down to campaign. Winning elections is not easy. Let’s not waste the people’s trust.” - May 17, 2025
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