The Malaysian Insight

PRESSURE is piling on PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli to challenge Azmin Ali for the deputy president’s post in the party elections in September.

Rafizi has the backing of about 30 PKR elected representatives and grassroots leaders, say party insiders.

This group feel the former Pandan MP better represents PKR’s “spirit of reform” and believe he has what it takes to lead the party because of his contribution to Pakatan Harapan’s win in the 14th general election.

“They are PKR MPs who are not members of the cabinet. Some are assemblymen… their number in total is over 30. They have positions and influence at grassroots level,” a source, an elected representative, said on condition of anonymity.

The source said he was not a Rafizi supporter but was aware of the undercurrents in the party

Rafizi, however, has not revealed whether he would defend his current post or challenge incumbent Azmin for the number two position.

“Rafizi has not talked about it. But there is a lot of pressure from the grassroots. Many also see Rafizi as the person capable of reviving the reform spirit,” the elected rep said.

Another party source said Rafizi had the support of those who felt that Azmin the Gombak MP was now “too busy being a cabinet minister”. The former Selangor menteri besar holds the economic affairs portfolio.

“We want the reform spirit back. Azmin has done many things that have not been in the party’s best interest,” the source, also an elected representative, said.

These include Azmin’s attempts to continue working with PAS in the run-up to GE14, even after the Pakatan Harapan leadership had said it would not cooperate with the Islamist party and one-time ally.

Other examples cited by the source were the selection of candidates for GE14 and for the post of Selangor menteri besar.

Due to infighting and alleged factionalism, PKR’s selection of GE14 candidates had appeared to be the most problematic among the PH component parties.

Talk of internal strife such as “Team Azmin” versus “Team Rafizi” had caused president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to publicly deny several times that the party was split.

Another PKR MP did not discount the possibility of a three-cornered fight for the deputy presidency.

“Rafizi has more support but it is possible that the race for deputy president may see a multi-cornered fight.”

The MP also said the party polls was the only chance to put PKR back on track, referring to  the reform agenda the party started out with 20 years ago.

Yesterday, Rafizi told Malaysiakini he had not decided on his position in the party polls.

He sat out GE14 in May over a court conviction for leaking banking information involving the National Feedlot Corporation scandal. His 18-month jail sentence has since been replaced with a good behaviour bond.

So far, only de facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed he will run for party president to replace his wife Dr Wan Azizah, who has been party head since it was formed. Anwar is expected to win the post uncontested.

Speculation that Rafizi would go for the deputy presidency was sparked by Anwar coming to his defence on a number of occasions. 

Political observers believe a clash between Rafizi and Azmin would weaken PKR which needs to stay united now that it is in government.

Analysts also think it will be difficult for Rafizi to take down Azmin’s strong network he built as one of PKR’s founding members.

“We should not forget that Azmin has a lot of influence in the divisions and among members. He has been around for 20 years, in the PKR network that he built from the grassroots up.

“When Anwar was jailed, Azmin was around to fill the void. He was also formerly the Selangor MB. He is very popular and he won the post in the previous party polls.

“Based on these factors, he is hard to defeat,” Universiti Malaya political analyst Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said.

Azmin, meanwhile, has kept mum on his plans for the party polls amid speculation that he would challenge Anwar for the presidency. He told the media recently that he had not yet decided which post to contest, saying he wanted to focus on parliamentary duties. – July 21, 2018.