SHAH ALAM: While incoming PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli is seen as a divisive figure by some observers, he can seemingly do no wrong with PKR Youth.
Rafizi created headlines when he announced his return to active politics in March after a two-year hiatus, but his brash and outspoken style has appeared to have caused divisions within the party.
However, it seems that sentiment isn’t shared by members of the party’s youth wing.
When asked whether Rafizi’s various comments had caused a split in PKR Youth, the wing’s newly-elected chief, Adam Adli, told FMT that he considered such comments “not as differences in principle but differences in approach”.
He said PKR Youth would not be affected by differences in opinion. “We celebrate differences in opinion. They should be discussed, and they should be part of the discourse,” said Adam.
“Those who are here today are mostly leaders, so they understand their responsibility to evaluate every opinion out there,” he told FMT yesterday during the youth wing’s annual meeting.
The former activist hoped the youth wing would continue to encourage more civil discussions with regards to approaches and strategies the party should take.
Earlier this week, Rafizi came under fire from several PKR division leaders for urging delegates at the party congress to vote into the central leadership only those against the “big tent” approach.
One division leader described his call as “insane”.
The “big tent” term is used to describe PKR president Anwar Ibrahim’s preference for uniting all opposition parties against Barisan Nasional – an idea which Rafizi has repeatedly said he was against.
Rafizi has also been accused of downplaying calls for a re-election by certain candidates who were defeated at the recent party polls, calling on PKR members to ignore the “noise” made by the losers.
However, Faris Aiman, the vice-chairman of PKR Youth’s Setiawangsa branch, said disagreements were bound to happen in any organisation.
“I think that as party members, it doesn’t matter what kind of inclination you are leaning towards. The most important thing is that you are professional enough to put aside your differences and go with the strategy that (the party) agreed upon,” said Faris.
“Rafizi can definitely contribute a lot as he is very popular among the masses. He has a very good team which deals with data analytics, which will be a great advantage for us… Our silver bullet going into the next general election,” added the 28-year-old.
PKR Youth Pasir Gudang vice-chairman Vejay Kanaiya was another delegate at the congress who said that the party’s youth wing were largely in support of Rafizi.
“For people to say he is siding with (certain) people, I think everybody has their own team of people to support them. So I don’t think it’s an issue,” he said.
He said he liked both Rafizi and his rival Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who had contested for the PKR deputy president’s post. “They are both good in different ways. So to me, it (criticism that Rafizi is divisive) doesn’t matter. Most of us actually support Rafizi.” - FMT
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