Rafizi: Harapan officially rejects PN cooperation, not just my opinion

PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said it was not merely his personal opinion but a decision made by the Pakatan Harapan presidential council for the coalition to reject any possibility of working with Perikatan Nasional (PN).

This is in response to PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin, who had yesterday described Rafizi’s statement about Harapan rejecting cooperation with PN as the latter’s personal opinion.

“The one who is the PKR deputy president and sits in the Harapan presidential council is me. (Yet) the one who knows the decision of Harapan is him (Muhyiddin),” Rafizi said sarcastically in a statement today.

Rafizi said some PN leaders still look down on those who are younger than them, including himself even though he has been in politics for about 20 years.

This is because those who are younger have no decision-making power in PN and they are seen as mere followers of the older leaders in that coalition, he said.

Muhyiddin also dismissed his statement as a personal opinion because PN specialises in backdoor negotiations, Rafizi added.

“They do not respect or accept the official position of other parties because they believe they can negotiate with certain characters who have the same interests as them,” he said.

‘A second Azmin’

Rafizi also said PN appears to be proud of this culture of negotiating behind the backs of the parties involved as it was what allowed Muhyiddin to become prime minister back then.

“The decision to put an end to any discussions to cooperate with PN was the final decision by the Harapan presidential council.

“The decision was that Harapan will strengthen our coalition and face the 15th general election as Harapan. Period,” he added.

But Muhyiddin is free to believe that there will be “a second Azmin” in Harapan, Rafizi quipped, referring to his predecessor Azmin Ali who betrayed PKR and jumped to Bersatu in support of Muhyiddin as prime minister during the Sheraton Move.

Rafizi also dismissed Muhyiddin’s statement that PN’s call for an opposition pact to fight against BN was for the sake of the country’s future.

He said even though Muhyiddin claims to be afraid of the rampant corruption and abuse of power in Umno, Muhyiddin was also the one who accepted Umno members involved in corruption into Bersatu so that he could become prime minister.

“Muhyiddin is afraid of the damage that Umno would do but Muhyiddin and PN also formed the government together with Umno.

“It would be better for Muhyiddin to openly state that PN wants to work with Harapan for personal interests and power and not for national interests because… we may be young but we are not stupid,” Rafizi said.

Meanwhile, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu similarly stressed Harapan's stand to not cooperate with PN in GE15.

“There is no cooperation between Harapan and PN because the latter is part of the government.

"Maybe Muhyiddin did not realise he remains in the government despite no longer being prime minister," said Mohamad in a sarcastic swipe at the PN chairperson.

"The government's failure today is the joint failure of both PN and BN," said Mohamad.

Mohamad's statement earlier today also follows PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan's statement that the PN-component party will not work with Harapan in GE15.

Takiyuddin's statement appears to contradict Muhyiddin's stand indicating intentions to work with the opposition, prompting rejections from Rafizi and Mohamad.

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