In PKR or not, we shouldn’t be enemies, says Rafizi

 Rafizi Ramli says he still has friends in PKR and does not want his move to Bersama to be a zero-sum game where 'you are either with us or against us'.

Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said PH could still win between 80 and 90 parliamentary seats, even in its weakest state, thanks to the support of progressive-minded voters. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

After quitting PKR to take over Parti Bersama Malaysia, Rafizi Ramli says those who choose to leave PKR or remain in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) component should not treat each other as enemies.

The former PKR deputy president said he still had many friends in the party and would not take it personally if they chose to remain there.

Everyone had their own reasons for joining, staying in, or leaving a political party, Rafizi added.

He said he and former PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad did not want their departure to Bersama to be a zero-sum game where those who are not with them are immediately deemed enemies.

“I think that separates us from Azmin Ali’s cartel (in PKR previously), where it was ‘you are either with us or against us’,” he said on the Lebih Masa podcast hosted by Nik Nazmi.

Azmin and 10 other MPs aligned with him left PKR in February 2020 following the Sheraton Move which led to the collapse of the PH-led federal government.

Rafizi nonetheless said that those who chose to remain in PKR should reflect on their reasons for staying. He said he decided to leave because PKR was no longer the party he had joined.

‘Even a weak PH can win up to 90 seats’

Separately, Rafizi said PH could still win 80 to 90 parliamentary seats even in its weakest state, thanks to the support of progressive-minded voters, whom he estimated at 35% to 40% of the Malaysian electorate.

The former minister said this group of voters cast their ballots based on broader, progressive attitudes, and were likely to continue backing PH if there was no better option.

Nonetheless, he said, their support must not be mistaken for loyalty to a single leader.

“It’s not because Anwar Ibrahim is great, or Mohamad Sabu is good at speaking. It has nothing to do with me, either,” he added.

“It’s because in our society, 35% to 40% of voters are progressive-minded.”

Rafizi said Bersama’s purpose was to give this segment of the electorate as well as young voters a new option at the ballot box.

He acknowledged that it might suffer heavy losses in the next general election, but said it could make bigger waves in the following elections if it stays true to its purpose and builds support around ideas, credibility, and honesty. - FMT