Rafizi says not running for PKR presidency, doesn't want to rock the boat

 

Rafizi Ramli has no intention of running for PKR's top spot in the upcoming party election in order not to cause "havoc" and divert attention from public issues raised by the party.

In an interview with BFM89.9 radio today, the former Pandan MP said he doesn’t want to rock the boat.

"If you rock the boat so much, whatever positive message and positive contribution that you can bring along will be basically diluted by the fact that so much focus will be about the election and personality clash," he said.

This came despite calls for a change of party leadership following PKR's dismal performance in recent state elections where the party was wiped out in Sarawak and Malacca and won only one seat in Johor polls.

Rafizi had announced his return to active politics to boost the chances of PKR and Pakatan Harapan in the next general election. He is also eyeing to contest the party's deputy president post.

He said his priority is not about a position in the party, and that he just wanted the party to be better prepared for the next general election.

"I am not really interested in a position. My concern is what we can do given the short time we have before the next GE to at least arrest the decline (of support for PKR in the past polls).

"I think it is enough for my younger colleagues and me to put a strong stand and at least appeal to the voters out there. It is not about the position of the party; it is about how some changes in the party give hope that our reforms are continuing, that we listen to what the public is doing," he said.

Former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli

Responding to a question on whether a leadership change would see PKR have an easier time rallying support, Rafizi said whoever holds the party presidency is not an essential factor, as a political party's success is based on cohesion from the top to bottom.

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, who won the presidency uncontested in August 2018, has yet to announce if he will seek to defend his post.

Nominations for PKR's party election are expected to be held next month, while the election itself will take place in May.

Rafizi became politically inactive after the PKR leadership election in late 2018, which saw him narrowly losing to Azmin Ali in the race to be the party's deputy president.

Before his withdrawal from active politics, Rafizi was seen as an influential figure in PKR and regarded as one of Anwar's closest advisers.

He was also well-known for exposing several scandals linked to the previous BN government, which landed him in court. - Mkini