'Rafizi hits a raw nerve over internal PKR schism on Pas talks', New Straits Times, 31 August 2017

 

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli’s outburst on divisions within the party leadership over talks with Pas has struck a raw nerve among colleagues. (File pix)

By SYED UMAR ARIFF AND HANA NAZ HARUN - August 30, 2017 @ 6:26pm

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli’s outburst on divisions within the party leadership over talks with Pas has struck a raw nerve among colleagues.

They said Rafizi’s unfounded claims had tainted the party’s public image and could be seen as a gibe over PKR leaders’ goodwill during a recent visit to Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang who was recovering from heart surgery three weeks ago.
In expressing disappointment with Rafizi, PKR vice-president Tian Chua denied the former’s allegation in that there were gross factionalism in the party over talks with Pas for a possible pact in the 14th general election.
“I am very disappointed with Rafizi. Whatever factionalism within PKR over Pas as claimed by him is untrue. There is no pro-Pas or anti-Pas groups among the party leaders as made up by him,” Tian Chua said when contacted today.
Tian Chua, along with PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, and another vice-president Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin were named as among those in a faction allegedly in favour of Pas cooperating with PKR to maintain Selangor under the tripartite rule.
Rafizi is against the cooperation with Pas as seen in his spate of attacks against the Islamic party, which now enjoys a bipartisan relationship with Umno on matters concerning the interests of Malays and Muslims.
Azmin had said he was assigned by PKR’s leadership to engage with Pas and denied that the talks, which had been reiterated as unofficial, was carried out of vested interests.
Echoing Azmin’s sentiments, Tian Chua said it was illogical to note that a person had a personal agenda over an issue because he was assigned to resolve it.
“Each and everyone of us in the party has role to carry out as assigned (by the party leaders).“If you are assigned to talk to Pas, it does not mean that you have a vested interest. It just means that you have to carry out the duties assigned to you.
“It does not make sense that you are pro-Pas just because you are assigned to talk to the party,” Tian Chua said.
Shamsul said Rafizi’s statement could be construed as a jab at PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Azmin’s recent meeting with Hadi.
“While that is his personal view, of course, it can be interpreted as a mockery over the party president and her deputy’s recent visit to Hadi.”
Meanwhile, political analyst Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the dispute between Azmin and Rafizi would only cause an even bigger crack within PKR.
Sivamurugan said this spat posed a difficult challenge for Dr Wan Azizah to resolve, adding that if it isn’t immediately address, the party may struggle to keep things together.
“Rafizi has been trying to bring down Azmin ever since he engineered the Kajang Move in 2014, but has failed time and again.
“Unless this internal spat is solved immediately, PKR may see its future going down the same road as how we saw Pas and its breakaway group, Parti Amanah Negara.”