Voters care about their rice bowl, not ex-AG’s book, says Rafizi

 

PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said playing the race card won’t work as the Malays are more concerned about their livelihood.

GEORGE TOWN: Voters, including Malay voters, are more concerned about their livelihood than about the Tommy Thomas memoir, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said today.

Instead, Umno Youth was trying to racialise the issue of a government investigation into the book, by former attorney-general Tommy Thomas, in order to win Malay support, he said.

Rafizi was responding to Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who had questioned why Pakatan Harapan leaders had been silent about the investigation although they championed themselves as defenders of the rule of law and the judiciary.

“I know why Umno Youth is making noise (on the probe issue) because they want to turn it into a racial issue. They think that by continuing to fan the racial sentiments towards Tommy Thomas and (then) the PH government, it will help them in getting Malay support in the coming general election,” said Rafizi.

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“But they are wrong, because we (PH) know that voters – including the Malay voters – are more concerned about their livelihood,” Rafizi told reporters after speaking at his Ayuh Malaysia campaign here today.

Voters want to know which parties will deal with the rising cost of living through proper policies, and which parties have candidates who are smart and possess good records.

“Therefore, we (PH) will focus on that,” said Rafizi.

Police have begun a criminal investigation against Thomas for sedition and other offences following an instruction from Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

A special task force formed to look into allegations in the Thomas book had identified 19 problems in four categories: allegations against the judiciary; exposing government secrets; abuse of power and professional negligence; and seditious statements.

‘Umno leaders can live in their cocoon’

Rafizi also took a dig at Umno Supreme Council members who criticised him for claiming that Umno’s push for an early general election was because the party faced waning support from Malay voters.

“If they want to keep sitting in that cocoon, it means that they are living in a state of total denial about the sentiments from the ground. So good luck to them,” added Rafizi. - FMT