PETALING JAYA: PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli has spoken out against opportunists clinging to his long-time mentor, party leader Anwar Ibrahim, and said Anwar must learn to surround himself with the right people.
A year after announcing his departure from active politics, Rafizi said in a Facebook posting that some of those around Anwar are opportunists who bring with them a culture of gangsterism and money politics into the party.
“I told him two years ago,” he said. “Previously he chose Azmin (Azmin Ali), look what happened. The one (surrounding Anwar) now, is no different.” He did not name the person.
Azmin was Anwar’s right hand man for decades but eventually fell out with the opposition leader, and took a number of MPs and PKR leaders to join forces with PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin.
Azmin had been PKR deputy president until his departure, and had defeated Rafizi in a contest for the deputy presidency at the party elections in 2018.
Rafizi said the person who is now close to Anwar had been nowhere to be seen in the past when others had struggled and went in and out of prison in a bid to free Anwar while he was imprisoned on a sodomy conviction.
“After (Pakatan Harapan) won in 2018, (this person) would camp outside Hospital Cheras every day. Suddenly, he became the party’s defender and the most loyal person to Anwar,” Rafizi said.
However, the actions of this new crowd could cause the downfall of the party and Anwar as well, he said.
He accused these leaders of targeting others who were a threat to them. One target was PKR Youth leader Akmal Nasir, who has been accused of criticising Anwar.
“People ask me why I’m uninterested. Don’t I pity Anwar? I am not the type to repeat myself. If the advice I give is ineffective, then let Anwar bear the risks of keeping opportunists around.”
He advised those who wish to ride on the party for their personal interests to leave him alone, saying that while he did not want to get involved, he hated such people. “If this species likes to cause trouble, I, too, can cause trouble.”
Rafizi was twice elected MP for Pandan. He was sentenced to 30 months’ jail after he brought the National Feedlot Corporation scandal to light, but his conviction was overturned in November last year. He was also sentenced to jail for breaching the Official Secrets Act by revealing an audit report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd. but was placed on a good behaviour bond on appeal.