Rafizi Ramli
KUANTAN: The issue of vacating a Parliamentary seat to pave the way for PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest has been discussed earlier with the party advisor and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and several leaders.
PKR vice president Rafizi Ramli said he was among the leaders taking part in the talks, which only involved several individuals close to Anwar in terms of party operation and campaign as had happened over the years.
“I don’t mention anything involving Datuk Seri Anwar and party president (Wan Azizah) without their consent.
“Just that important decisions are not being discussed with everyone and will only be done with several people among us,” he said when met by reporters after attending the 20 years of Reform Tour programme at the Kompleks Dagangan Indera Mahkota here Sunday night.
PKR vice president Tian Chua, prior to this, had taken Rafizi to task for going ahead of Wan Azizah, in announcing that a Parliamentary seat would be vacated next week to pave the way for Anwar to contest and subsequently return as a MP.
Tian Chua questioned the move, claiming that it was done without the knowledge of the party leadership.
Tian Chua
Commenting further on the statement, Rafizi said it was up to Tian Chua to make any statement on the matter.
“I did not read his statement, that’s his right…I understand, maybe he feels out of place for not being involved in the process,” he said.
Meanwhile commenting on rumours that money politics took place in this election, Rafizi said PKR could not run away from the problem, as had happened with other political parties in the country.
“Whenever there is power, there is a tendency to campaign by taking advantage of one’s position, but this matter has been warned by Anwar and party president,” he added.
Meanwhile in ALOR SETAR, PKR Women chief Zuraida Kamaruddin said conflicts within the party were commonplace before the election process took place.
She said such situations could happen because there were parties wanting to lobby and show their abilities to enable them to be elected to a post.
“In the spirit of contesting, they will try to lobby…let the members evaluate them on whether what they say have any basis or they are just empty drums (that make the most noise).
“Once the election is over, everything will be alright and with a new leadership, we will recorganise to gain the people’s confidence,” she told reporters after visiting the Jalan Tun Razak Fire and Rescue Station here yesterday. — Bernama