PANDAN MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, a two-term MP and former economy minister, said he did not want to be part of the political culture reflected during PKR’s elections in May, when he lost the party’s deputy presidency to Nurul Izzah Anwar.
Rafizi also expressed pessimism about PKR’s ability to reform its internal culture, suggesting it may be time for him to move on.
“If I can change (the culture), great. But I don’t think I can. So if we’ve reached that stage, we should both move on,” he said.
Though he did not specify what he meant by “that culture”, Rafizi had previously accused Nurul Izzah of aligning with money politics factions within the party to secure her deputy presidency win, despite her earlier concerns about these groups.
He claimed these factions prioritise positions and use money politics, contradicting PKR’s reform agenda. Rafizi added that Nurul Izzah had privately expressed worries about their unethical practices but later worked with them for electoral success, leaving her responsible for dealing with their influence in the party.
In May, Rafizi also questioned how former MIC treasurer R. Ramanan rose rapidly in PKR, noting that within six months of joining, he was fielded as an election candidate, appointed deputy minister in under two years, and is now vying for a vice-president post.
He contrasted this with long-serving PKR members who waited years for similar opportunities, emphasising that genuine service earns grassroots support over time.
Meanwhile, Rafizi hinted that he might leave PKR if he is not a candidate in the next general election, adding that he has yet to decide whether to contest for a third term as MP.
“I didn’t even say that I will even contest in the next (general) election. I don’t have any intention to participate (yet) … I actually haven’t made a decision whether to contest in the next general election or not,” he said on his Yang Berhenti Menteri podcast. — July 5, 2025
