Sabah PKR questions Ramanan backing Nurul Izzah over Rafizi

Summary

• Sabah PKR deputy communications director Fekirie Gobet criticises R Ramanan for appearing to sideline Rafizi Ramli’s contributions to the party in favour of Nurul Izzah Anwar.

• Fekirie also questions Ramanan’s reformist credentials as the latter only joined PKR in 2020 after a stint in MIC.

Sabah PKR has questioned the party’s vice-presidential candidate, R Ramanan, for apparently sidelining Rafizi Ramli’s role in the party’s previous electoral successes.

Sabah PKR deputy communications director Fekirie Gobet took issue with Ramanan’s assertion that Rafizi’s sole competitor for the PKR deputy presidency, Nurul Izzah Anwar, should lead PKR’s campaign in the next general election.

Expressing doubt over Ramanan’s (above) credentials as a reformist, Fekirie said Rafizi’s successful efforts for the party during the 14th general election in 2018 should not be dismissed.

“I do not wish to question Nurul Izzah’s role at that time (GE14), but where was Ramanan during that period? He now speaks as though he has long championed the reformist cause, but in reality, he only joined PKR in 2020 after failing to find a place in BN.

“(Ramanan) has also appeared to downplay Rafizi’s contributions during GE14 despite it being widely acknowledged that Rafizi was the architect behind Pakatan Harapan’s victory,” Fekirie said in a statement.

He asserted that Rafizi used data from his company, Invoke Solutions, so Harapan could identify strengths and weaknesses across constituencies, and that the Pandan MP also went on multiple tours to engage fence-sitters.

Fekirie pointed out that despite Rafizi opting to take a break while many PKR leaders “enjoyed the comforts” of Putrajaya, the economy minister later returned with a new strategy in the form of the Ayuh Malaysia movement for the 2022 general election.

“This speaks to Rafizi’s ability as a strategist who delivers results, not someone who is driven by personal ambition, but by responsibility.

“In fact, Rafizi previously said he is ready to relinquish his ministerial post to focus on the party,” he said.

‘Lacklustre’ Ramanan

Fekirie also claimed that Ramanan would be unlikely to put a similar offer on the table, alleging that if PKR were no longer in government, the deputy entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister would “seek opportunities elsewhere”.

“Even as PKR’s deputy communications chief, his (Ramanan’s) role has been lacklustre. Only now do we see near-daily statements from him, many of which appear to be overly deferential to Nurul Izzah,” he added.

Previously, Ramanan said Nurul Izzah should be appointed PKR’s election director for the next general election as the party had secured its highest-ever tally of 47 parliamentary seats in GE14 under her leadership.

He added that with Nurul Izzah leading the charge this time around, he believes the party could secure 70 or 80 parliamentary seats.

PKR won 31 seats in the 2022 general election, which saw PKR president Anwar Ibrahim being appointed as prime minister.

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