‘Not their home any more': Rafizi warns PKR risks Umno-style exodus over grassroots anger after party polls

Malay Mail

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has reportedly cautioned that rising dissatisfaction among grassroots party members could lead to an exodus that similarly plagued Umno during the 1998 Reformasi movement.
Malaysiakini cited him from his podcast Yang Berhenti Menteri suggesting that the discontent stems from the recent PKR party elections, where members questioned the transparency of the process.
'In the madness of grabbing power or positions, don't let it come to making people feel like this is not [their] home any more,' he reportedly said, adding that this will be dangerous to the party.
'When they've moved on, it's not easy to ask them to come back,' he added.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, then Umno deputy president and deputy prime minister was sacked in 1998 by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad — leading to the Reformasi movement and formation of PKR.
Meanwhile, Rafizi was recently defeated in the PKR number two post by Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah.
He and fellow loser Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad both quit their Cabinet posts, citing the party's loss of trust in them.
Since then, he has since one of the biggest critics of Anwar's administration, from issues ranging from the 13th Malaysia Plan to judicial independence.
Yesterday, Rafizi led nine PKR MPs to remind the government that the need to strengthen the judicial appointment process continues, despite the finalised top judicial appointments.
Rafizi had similar stepped down from politics in 2018 after he was defeated by Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali to be Anwar's deputy in PKR — before returning to the post and active politics in 2022.