logo
Rafizi to revive reformist spirit via 'HIRUK' in battle royale against Nurul Izzah for PKR's No. 2 post

Rafizi to revive reformist spirit via 'HIRUK' in battle royale against Nurul Izzah for PKR's No. 2 post

Focus Malaysia2 days ago

ALL eyes will now be on PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli who aspires to keep the reformasi momentum alive with his 'HIRUK' campaign tagline as he defends his post in a two-horse race against Nurul Izzah Anwar at the party's central leadership election for the 2025-2028 term on May 23.
An acronym for Hidupkan Idealisme Reformasi Dalam Ujian Kuasa (Keep Reform Idealism Alive in a Test of Power), the Ecinomy Minister who is renowned for his campaigning prowess will embark on a nationwide tour to rekindle the spirit of reform that has been a foundation of PKR's struggle since 1998.
Rafizi who had earlier offered to quit as minister and PKR No. 2 to propel the party for GE16 (16th General Election) has now made it clear that PKR should not be turned into 'an elitist or dynasty-based party'.
'We must return to rakyat (grassroots) and the voice of reform,' the Pandan MP was cited as saying in a campaign message circulated on social media.
The HIRUK nationwide tour series will kick off tomorrow (May 11) with the spotlight on the Melaka & Negeri Sembilan Zone at 9pm in Klana Resort Seremban.
Rafizi who toppled fellow contender Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (former PKR secretary-general) for the No. 2 post in the 2022 party polls (59,678 vs 43,010 votes) has nevertheless hinted in jest that the decision to defend his post was never easy to make.
'After two credit cards and one debit card were rejected, and my bank account having exceeded the limit, I finally managed to pay the nomination fee,' he tweeted on X.
Setelah 2 kad kredit kena reject, 1 kad debit reject, bank akaun exceed limit ha3, akhirnya berjaya bayar yuran pencalonan 🤣
Saya baru sahaja selesai mendaftar sebagai calon Timbalan Presiden KEADILAN bagi pemilihan ini. pic.twitter.com/ZuYiAzxK6K
— Rafizi Ramli (@rafiziramli) May 9, 2025
'I've just completed my registration as a candidate for the Keadilan deputy president for this election.'
Brushing aside allegations of her decision to contest would breed nepotism, Nurul Izzah denied that her action would transform PKR into a 'parti bapa, anak & emak' (literally FAMA party).
'Actually, this label is not a new attack. In fact, since 1998 when the party founder and Reformasi fighters jointly established KEADILAN, this label has been used to belittle our struggle,' recalled the former Permatang Pauh MP.
'When I won the vice-president post with the highest number of votes in 2010, 2014 and 2018, the same attacks were still being made (Nurul Izzah did not contest in the 2022 party polls to focus on the Ayuh Malaysia movement).'
The eldest daughter of Prime Minister and party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim further stressed that 'I'm not interested in a cabinet position even if I win the deputy president position'.
PEMILIHAN PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT 2025
'Bermesyuaratlah dengan mereka dalam urusan itu. Kemudian apabila engkau telah berazam
(sesudah bermesyuarat, untuk membuat sesuatu) maka bertawaqallah kepada Allah SWT ,
sesungguhnya Allah Mengasihi orang-orang yang bertawakal kepada-Nya'… pic.twitter.com/DpPjdmi6XY
— Nurul Izzah Anwar 🇲🇾 🌺 (@n_izzah) May 9, 2025
'I'm confident that those who read this statement rationally can distinguish nepotism which is being appointed by family members for a position from a competition voted for by the grassroots,' justified Nurul Izzah.
'I believe that the strength of KEADILAN always lies in its grassroots branches and machinery.' – May 10, 2025

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sabah PKR open to ‘friendly contests' in state polls if talks fail
Sabah PKR open to ‘friendly contests' in state polls if talks fail

Free Malaysia Today

time17 minutes ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Sabah PKR open to ‘friendly contests' in state polls if talks fail

Sabah PKR chief Mustapha Sakmud said contests among allies are common in politics. (Facebook pic) SERDANG : Sabah PKR chief Mustapha Sakmud says he is open to 'friendly contests' between allies if the ongoing negotiations over seat allocations ahead of the Sabah state election fail. Mustapha said PKR is working to prevent clashes between parties in the government coalition, and aiming for fair seat distribution without overlaps. 'We're still negotiating and doing our best to avoid contests. The goal is fair allocation without duplication,' he said. 'But if talks break down, friendly contests are an option. It's common in politics.' He did not specify which parties are involved in the negotiations. Mustapha, the deputy higher education minister, was speaking to reporters at an event at Universiti Putra Malaysia here today. Sabah Umno treasurer Salleh Said Keruak yesterday suggested that overlapping seats be handled through friendly contests, while maintaining unity and a shared objective. He said this approach was better than allowing internal tensions or encouraging sponsored independent candidates. Mustapha said PKR's main priority was political stability, and warned that clashes at the state level could strain relationships within the federal government. 'I urge everyone to stay open-minded. There's no benefit in fighting among ourselves and risking division. 'We want unity to continue. Avoiding unnecessary contests can help reduce friction among parties,' he said.

Abdul Raof made acting Kota Raja Umno chief
Abdul Raof made acting Kota Raja Umno chief

Free Malaysia Today

timean hour ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Abdul Raof made acting Kota Raja Umno chief

Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Megat Zulkarnain Omardin (centre) at a party event in Shah Alam last night. (Bernama pic) SHAH ALAM : The position of Kota Raja Umno chief is now held by Abdul Raof Mokhtar, according to Selangor Umno liaison committee chairman Megat Zulkarnain Omardin. He said Raof, who is currently the division's deputy chief, would act in the position until the next party election. He said this followed the resignation of Kota Raja Umno chief Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who expressed his intention to join PKR on May 30. 'Automatically, the deputy chief of the (Kota Raja) Umno division will act in the position of division chief. 'We will send an official letter to Umno president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) for the matter to be brought to the Supreme Council meeting,' he said at a press conference here last night. Megat added that his friendship with Tengku Zafrul continued as usual, and called on Selangor Umno to continue working and moving forward. Tengku Zafrul, the investment, trade and industry minister, announced his resignation from Umno in a May 30 statement on Facebook, saying he had sent a letter of resignation to the party leadership on the same date. In the letter, Tengku Zafrul expressed his intention to resign as a member of the Supreme Council, Kota Raja Umno chief and party member.

'Where are the women?': Activist slams gender gap in media, politics
'Where are the women?': Activist slams gender gap in media, politics

New Straits Times

time5 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

'Where are the women?': Activist slams gender gap in media, politics

PETALING JAYA: The government should introduce more affirmative action policies to support women in leadership roles in the media and politics, says an activist. Speaking during the BBC World Questions debate last night, Universiti Malaya Gender Studies Programme head Dr Vilashini Somiah criticised persistent gatekeeping and cultural bias that hinder women's participation in decision-making spaces. "It's 2025, and we're still unable to say some of the most important things — especially in the media — because the room lacks equal participation," she said. "Women don't just speak for themselves. They create space for minorities, for people with disabilities, for indigenous voices." Vilashini said while quotas or gender-based targets were not ideal, they were necessary to address structural inequality. "The issue isn't just representation — it's the type of woman who gets in. Are we seeing a dark-skinned Tamil woman? A woman with a disability? Not really. "The system makes it hard even for the most privileged women to break through." The panel also included Deputy Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Fuziah Salleh and political analyst Dr Tricia Yeoh, who both pointed to structural barriers, such as the high cost of political participation and lack of party support for female candidates. Yeoh cited Malaysia's low female labour force return rate, especially after childbirth, as evidence of a broken support system. "The drop-off in women returning to work in their 30s and 40s is stark. We need institutional policies — childcare, leave, flexible work — to fix this." Fuziah, who is PKR secretary-general, said the party had recently amended its constitution to mandate minimum women and youth representation. "I won't be happy until we achieve full parity. We hold up half the sky," she said. Several audience members also voiced support for urgent legislative reform. "I hope in 10 or 20 years this won't just be a discussion," said Noor, a participant who raised the initial question on women in the media. Others, like journalist Tamina, who was also in the audience, called for policies that redefine men's roles in family life to balance domestic responsibilities. Still, not all agreed. CodeBlue editor-in-chief Boo Su-Lyn argued that affirmative action in the media would not automatically lead to more female representation in news coverage. "We report on people in power. If those in power are men, that's who gets quoted — regardless of whether the journalist is male or female." The debate also touched on issues such as the rising cost of living, national identity and fundamental liberties. It will be broadcast on the BBC World Service on Saturday, June 14.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store