Anwar has 'fatherly' meetings with MPs aligned with Rafizi

 

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has held several meetings with PKR lawmakers who are aligned with his estranged former deputy, Rafizi Ramli.

Commenting on this, Rafizi, who was not part of the meet-ups, said the dialogues were neither nefarious nor out of the ordinary, but harmonious and “fatherly”.

“Actually, it’s not from the perspective of ‘Don’t support Rafizi’.

“My impression was… it was a normal conversation. PM assured the backbenchers that he met that he respects the right of these backbenchers to voice out. It’s mostly very fatherly,” he told reporters last night.

The Pandan MP added that it was a good thing for the prime minister to meet with backbenchers willing to criticise the government.

Among the issues those aligned with Rafizi spoke on were concerns over MACC chief Azam Baki, the need for Parliament to vet the next public prosecutor, and plans for the government to adopt a new migrant worker management system.

Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli

The meetings with Anwar are believed to have taken place over the past month, with Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan among those whom Anwar met privately.

However, Rafizi, Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, and Subang MP Wong Chen have reportedly not been invited to meet Anwar yet.

Wong said the trio already had a long-established relationship with Anwar, which would make it difficult for the premier to sway them.

“So, they know our character. He’s not going to try and ‘Jedi mind trick’ me or anything lah,” he quipped. - Mkini