PKR's ties with others focal point of Saifuddin-Rafizi debate

 

While PKR's internal leadership elections loom, the party's external relationships became the focal point of a public debate involving two candidates aspiring to be deputy president.

A point of contention was PKR's alleged role in cobbling support for party president Anwar Ibrahim to oust Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.

Incumbent PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli fired the first major salvo at his opponent and incumbent secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail by demanding an explanation over meetings the latter had with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to work out a deal.

This meeting - involving two of PKR's greatest enemies - was hitherto not public knowledge.

Saifuddin, in his defence, explained that he had an explicit mandate to do so by PKR and Harapan top brass and not his own personal pursuit.

The rationale, he explained, was Anwar was on the cusp of ousting Muhyiddin who had a very slim majority between 2020 and 2021.

Saifuddin Nasution Ismail

Deal fell through

Saifuddin said the deal fell through and that was the end of it. He implied that by dredging up this, Rafizi was in fact engaging in a bit of a low blow.

"I repeat, the approach which the party has adopted now was to move forward by strengthening the party, strengthening Harapan as a bloc, and working on our weaknesses," he said.

In September 2020, Port Dickson MP Anwar declared he had a "strong, formidable and convincing" majority to be appointed prime minister. A similar claim was made six months later. Anwar remains the parliamentary opposition leader to this day.

At the material time, former Pandan MP Rafizi did not attend party leadership meetings, although he was the vice-president of the party, albeit a co-opted one.

Rafizi Ramli

During the debate, Rafizi would repeatedly portray himself as a PKR figure who had consistently objected to any possibility of enticing defections after the "Sheraton Move" in February 2020.

"At that time, this was agreed (by the leadership). But after that, I was informed that the leadership adopted the policy of negotiating with others (on the possibility of defections)," Rafizi said.

Hurt the coalition

This, said Rafizi, would only lower Harapan's stature in the eyes of the voters and hurt the coalition in the long run.

"If we continue to get involved in negotiations, it means that we would have to embrace the figures that are hated by the rakyat.

"In the process of doing this, it would erode the people's trust. Because they see that all politicians are the same, that we would do just anything to reach our goal," he said.

Generally, both Saifuddin and Rafizi kept the debate civil while throwing veiled barbs at one another.

In particular, Rafizi attempted on several occasions to paint Saifuddin as a capable administrator who is also skilled at diplomacy, while lacking vision and creativity.

On the other hand, Saifuddin pointed out Rafizi's track record of withdrawing from the leadership when things don't go the latter's way.

Anwar Ibrahim

This, said Saifuddin, had severely curtailed the efficacy of the party president.

"If PKR is a football team, then Anwar is like a club manager who is down with only six players as he was left without a deputy and his four vice-presidents were missing," he said.

Saifuddin also said that Anwar as the party president needs a deputy who is "always there through thick and thin".

In Rafizi's retort, he said the party president deserved a deputy president who will play the role of a proactive partner and not a mere follower.

PKR’s leadership election will take place between May 13 and May 22. - Mkini