Sarawak ban may be reinstated if I no longer hold Cabinet, PKR posts, says Rafizi
Rafizi speaks at PKR's 25th Anniversary Special Convention at IDCC Shah Alam April 21, 2024. – Malay Mail photo
KUCHING (May 18): Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli believes he may be banned from entering Sarawak again if he no longer holds a position in the Cabinet and in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), where he is the incumbent deputy president.
He was cited by Berita Harian as saying that before being appointed as a minister in the Unity Government, he was already banned from entering Sarawak.
As such, he said it is not impossible that the ban could be reinstated if he no longer holds positions in the party and Cabinet.
'I was only allowed to enter Sarawak when I was appointed as a minister two years ago.
'If I am no longer a minister or PKR deputy president, I think I will not be allowed to enter Sarawak again,' he said during the 'Hidupkan Idealisme Reformasi dalam Ujian Kuasa (Hiruk)' Tour at the Penview Convention Centre (PCC) here last night.
According to Berita Harian, Rafizi and several leaders from PKR and Democratic Action Party (DAP) faced a ban on entering Sarawak since 2014, but the ban was lifted after the formation of the Unity Government.
Meanwhile, Bernama, reporting from the same event, cited Rafizi as saying that PKR members in Sarawak must view the current political situation in the state as an opportunity to regroup and strengthen themselves for future challenges.
He pointed out that given Sarawakians' current preference for the existing state government, party members should use this period as an opportunity to 'invest' in cultivating a new generation of party leaders.
'This low point in our political cycle is a good time for us to invest in the party's future. Use this period to develop new talent because the cycle will turn, and our time will come,' he said.
Rafizi also said that based on PKR's performance in past elections in Sarawak, the party has shown potential to win at least three parliamentary seats in the future.
In the 15th General Election (GE15), PKR successfully retained the Miri parliamentary seat for the third consecutive terms since GE13 in 2013.
Rafizi noted that PKR had previously won the Selangau and Puncak Borneo parliamentary seats and narrowly lost the Kanowit seat in GE15. ban enter lead pkr post rafizi ramli
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'But Nurul Izzah was elected by you all,' he reminded the party delegates, to applause from them. Indeed, Nurul Izzah had won from Day One. She got 200 nominations out of 222 parliamentary divisions. Had she lost, there must be something wrong somewhere. The dust following the party election is just beginning to settle down and Nurul is eager to get to work. What now for PKR? Party members expected Rafizi to keep his promise of resigning from his Minister post as he said he would if he lost the Deputy Presidency. The election was held last Friday. Rafizi didn't turn up the next and final day of the party Congress on Saturday in Johor. His press secretary said he had returned to Kuala Lumpur. Then on Monday he showed up at his ministerial office for work as usual and rumours had it that he was at the office to pack and resign. Wrong. Rafizi turned up for work to ask his officers to brief him on his role, if any, during the Asean Summit on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then on Tuesday, he showed up at the Asean meeting in his role as Economy Minister, accompanying the PM. Then on Wednesday, immediately after the Asean 'do', he resigned. It was quite responsible and sporting of him to show up at the Asean function as Economy Minister as required. Had he been absent on purpose, wouldn't that make Malaysia a laughing stock in the eyes of the World particularly Asean? But that's not the end of the story. On the same day, another Minister, Nik Nazmi also resigned following Rafizi's footsteps. Nazmi was in Rafizi's camp during the party election and he failed to defend his Vice-Presidency. But he didn't do too badly. He missed the boat by just about 100 votes. Only four Vice-Presidents were to be elected and Nik Nazmi was No 5. He got 5,556 votes while the No 4 successful candidate, Chang Lih Kang received 5,757 votes. The consolation was that Chang an incumbent and also a Minister, was in Rafizi's camp too. So now there are two vacancies. Expected to be the new Ministers are Nurul Izzah and another successful Vice-President, newcomer Ramanan who got the second highest votes among the four. But this is only on the assumption that the posts will be given back to PKR. For Nurul to be appointed, she would first have to be made a Senator as she is not an elected MP. If indeed Nurul is appointed, it will be another history in the political annals of Malaysia. Will this mean the breaking up of PKR? I don't think so. Nobody is indispensable. Somebody will replace you. As the Malay saying goes, 'Patah Tumbuh, Hilang Berganti'. When you are No.2, then behave like a No.2. The political history of Malaysia, let alone the world, is full of stories of the No.1 ''etting rid' of the No.2 when he becomes suspicious. Azmin Ali used to be Deputy PKR president until he ran foul of Anwar. Perhaps having been Selangor MP for two terms and appointed as Economy Minister by Dr M had some effect. 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