PKR DEPUTY president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli today confirmed that he will defend his position in the central leadership elections this month, welcoming challengers for the post.
Rafizi said if he was elected, he would be able to continue playing his role as the PKR deputy president as well as economy minister in the government.
During his leave, he said he met Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
“I met Anwar twice and Saifuddin once and in my meeting with Anwar I voiced my views that the campaign strategies for the next general election need to be fine-tuned, taking into consideration the needs of the people.
“I also told him I am ready not to defend my deputy presidency nor be part of the Cabinet to focus on the campaign,” he said.
However, he said both of them said there was a need for him to contest the deputy president’s post and remain in the Cabinet.
“I told them I would consider their views in making my final decision,” said Rafizi.
He said he welcomed the also interest shown by PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar and Saifuddin, who is also the former secretary-general in contesting the deputy president’s post.
He reiterated that he had always believed it was the right of every party member to contest the party polls, saying it was important for PKR to celebrate democracy by allowing such contests.
“Therefore, I welcome contests for the PKR deputy presidency in this year’s party elections. I will join the other candidates in using this platform to strengthen the party,” he said.
He also said he was ready to step down from his party and Cabinet posts and focus on grassroots campaigning if he is not re-elected in the party polls.
He said if not re-elected, he could return to being a leader at the grassroots level to campaign intensively for the party.
Rafizi was elected as PKR deputy president during the 2022 party elections, defeating Saifuddin with a landslide majority of 16,668 votes. - May 7, 2025
