PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli confirmed the leaked WhatsApp message on a complaint that requests of money and “women” were made of those wanting to deal with the Selangor government.

He said he received the complaint by a whistleblower in his capacity as executive director of National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW), which is investigating the complaint.

However, he stressed the allegation is “specific”, and is not against any past or present elected representative or “any government officers in any department of the Selangor government”.

“The complaint on the alleged misconduct that I referred specifically in my WhatsApp messages will go through the same rigorous process to corroborate with evidence.

“If there is no corroborating evidence, NOW will not pursue the alleged misconduct as our resources are limited,” he said in a statement.

He says Now receives many tip-offs, and only “a fraction” are made public after they pass its “rigorous process” of vetting.

This comes after Selangor Menteri Besar and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali (photo) said the allegation was part of a “systematic smear campaign”, which victimises innocent bureaucrats.

Rafizi said he regrets the private conversation was made public and was made to malign the state, but urged PKR not to downplay any allegations just to safeguard the party’s image.

“I feel we are on a slippery road. I prefer to err on the side of caution as I have always maintained that as a reform party, we must be whiter than white,” he said.

Made accountable to

Rafizi also reminded PKR that it should surpass the standards it holds BN leaders accountable to, at every level of the party hierarchy.

“At the end of the day, we shall be made accountable to it when we meet our Creator and that has always been my biggest fear the moment I assume public offices,” he said.

Rafizi had in a message to the WhatsApp group ‘Solidarity for Anwar’ said he received a complaint from a “bonafide person that apart from money, now there are also requests for women when dealing with the state government”.

In the message, he had cautioned one ‘Kak Zu’ over the matter.

In the statement today, he confirmed he was referring to Ampang MP and Selangor PKR deputy chief Zuraida Kamaruddin.

He said he informed Zuraida of the complaint in a private conversation more than a month ago, and urged her not to dismiss corruption claims against party members “especially at the lower levels”.

“Therefore, the reference to her in my leaked WhatsApp message was in no way an accusation against her or any party leaders,” he said.