'Be quiet. If you continue, AIDS': Malaysian ex-minister Rafizi alleges threats received after attack on son

CNA

2 days ago

PUTRAJAYA: Hours after his son was allegedly jabbed with a syringe at a shopping mall in Putrajaya, Malaysia's former economy minister Rafizi Ramli said on Thursday (Aug 14) that his family received threatening messages telling him to stop speaking up on national issues.
'The attack is clearly a threat as there were messages sent to us … in my opinion, the threats are related to my role as a Member of Parliament and as a politician,' the MP for Pandan in Selangor said at a press conference.
The alleged attack on Wednesday has drawn condemnation from politicians on both sides of the aisle, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim calling for an immediate and transparent probe.
SYRINGE ATTACK AND TEXT THREATS
According to Rafizi, his wife and 12-year-old son were about to enter their car after leaving a shopping mall in Putrajaya at about 1.45pm when a man grabbed his son and jabbed him with a syringe. There are no details as to which part of the boy's body was jabbed.
'In my view, the attack had been planned in advance,' Rafizi said in a Wednesday statement, adding that his own checks revealed that two men on a motorcycle had been following his wife's car before that.
He described the two assailants - both dressed in black and wearing full-face helmets - as having waited for the 'right moment' to attack his son.
The boy is in stable condition and is receiving treatment at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Hospital, local media reported.
'Throughout my time as a high-profile politician, this is the first time my family has been the target of such an attack and threats,' Rafizi said in his Wednesday statement.
'I believe the attack is a warning for me not to be vocal on various issues … I will not bow down to any threats and will carry out my duties as usual.'
Selangor police chief Shazeli Kahar said on Wednesday that authorities are tracking down two male suspects and have obtained closed-circuit television footage from the mall, reported local news outlet The New Straits Times.
Shazeli added that the incident is believed to have occurred at the pick-up and drop-off area, without identifying the exact mall.
In his Thursday remarks, Rafizi said his wife received two text messages from an unknown number in the wake of the incident, threatening their son with an AIDS infection.
The first came in shortly after 1am on Thursday, reading: 'Be quiet. If you continue, AIDS,' local news site Free Malaysia Today quoted Rafizi as saying. The same message came in again at around 11am, followed by three syringe emojis.
Rafizi said he has reported this latest incident to the police.
The former economy minister said he suspects the attack was linked to a case he was looking into, adding that he had met with a group of whistleblowers just last week.
'In my opinion, this is an attempt to silence me and they want me to drop the case,' Rafizi said on Thursday, without disclosing the case he was referring to.
Rafizi stepped down as economy minister after losing the deputy president role of his political party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), to Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar on May 23. He remains in the party and continues to serve as MP for Pandan.
In early July, Rafizi and eight other PKR MPs called for a royal inquiry and parliamentary investigation into high-profile judicial vacancies, which CNA previously reported posed a stern political test for Anwar.
Later that same month, Rafizi urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to open an investigation into Anwar's former political aide over allegations linked to a mineral exploration licence in Sabah.
BIPARTISAN CONDEMNATION
Both the government and politicians across party lines have condemned the alleged attack.
In a brief statement on Wednesday, Anwar said he had informed Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to ensure an 'immediate and transparent' probe into what he described as a 'malicious' and 'treacherous' assault.
'Praying for the best for Rafizi and his family,' Anwar added.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin has assured that investigations into the attack will be conducted fairly and in accordance with the law, without regard to the status or background of any party involved.
He also urged the public to refrain from making speculations and allow the police to carry out investigations according to the law, local media reported.
Malaysia's opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional has also condemned the attack, with opposition chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan describing the attack as 'completely unacceptable'.
Commenting on Rafizi's claim that the attack was a warning to silence him, Takiyuddin said that if proven true, it would represent a 'disturbing development of thuggish politics' which could pose a serious threat to the country's democratic landscape.
'Differences in political views should never lead to threats or physical violence, especially when children are involved,' said Takiyuddin, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today.