5 days ago
New low in Malaysian politics: Attack on Rafizi's son an attempt to silence him from pursuing hot issues?
Editor's Note: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a Facebook post stated that he has informed Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to ensure transparent and prompt investigation is conducted on the matter.
Praying for the well-being of Rafizi's child, he expressed regret that the incident has to happen in the wake of bullying phenomenon in schools.
Earlier, Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said he would request a briefing from Saifuddin if necessary on the assault of Rafizi's 12-year-old son.
'This is something very unprecedented,' he said in response to Wong Chen (PH-Subang) who asked for the relevant minister to provide details in the Dewan Rakyat today (Aug 14).
POLITICS is a dirty game with nothing seems off limits, including putting a rival's family members in harm's way.
That is the assertion of former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli yesterday (Aug 13) after his 12-year-old son was attacked and jabbed with a syringe by two black-clad men wearing full-faced helmets.
The Pandan MP alleged it was a planned attack targeting his family which served as a warning against him voicing out on certain issues.
The incident occurred at around 1.45pm as his wife and son were leaving a shopping complex in Putrajaya.
It was the first time in Rafizi's political career that such an attack has occurred with the former PKR deputy president refusing to bow to such intimidation tactics, vowing instead to carry out his duties as per usual albeit with heightened security measures.
The media statement as featured on the Besut-born politician's Facebook page has already generated 27K likes, 6.1K comments and 4.7K shares denoting public shock and outrage at this cowardly attack.
One commenter said although he disagreed with the PKR politician on many topics, such physical attacks on family members, especially children, must never be condoned.
Another commenter who also claimed he was not a supporter of the PKR politician contended that such incidents cannot be tolerated and must be punished lest it prevents other brave souls from whistle-blowing.
That sentiment was echoed by another commenter who equated the act as 'cowardly' and 'Zionist' in nature. It was surmised that it would be difficult to apprehend the perpetrators as they appear to be hired professionals.
More pertinently, this attack signals that the 47-year-old has ruffled some feathers. In seeking the truth, some people are feeling the heat, claimed one political observer.
One commenter recounted that her son was knocked down at the traffic lights in front of the school in Precinct 16 of Putrajaya.
She claimed that it was a targeted attack as her name had inadvertently been dragged into an investigation involving misappropriation of public funds. Lamenting that Putrajaya was no longer safe, she opined that lodging police reports alone is seemingly of little avail.
Pointing to the acid attack on footballer Faisal Hashim which on May 6 last year which has since been classified as 'NFA (no further action)' , one commenter demanded that what had had happened to Rafizi's child must not end up as a similar repeat.
The seeming assertion is that with CCTVs positioned everywhere in Putrajaya, surely the cops can come up with some leads.
'Rafizi used to hit out at various issues during the Najib BN (Barisan Nasional) era but nobody ever threatened his family,' recalled the former president (2012-2013) of the National Association of Malaysian Students in Indonesia (PKPMI).
'PMX Anwar Ibrahim and PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police) need to immediately investigate and arrest the perpetrators. The incident happened in the middle of a city full of CCTVs.'
Bomb threats, acid splashes and syringe attacks – it all seems par for the course of the modern-day Malaysia. Will the authorities be able to nab the perpetrators or will unseen hands continue to shape the narrative with such intimidation tactics? – Aug 14, 2025
