Zaid urges PAS to woo Rafizi, moots GE16 clash with Anwar

Summary

• Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim urges PAS to get outgoing ministers Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad into Perikatan Nasional’s fold.

• He suggests that Rafizi and Nik Nazmi contest in Tambun and Bentong, respectively, in GE16.

Zaid Ibrahim has urged PAS to exhaust all avenues to court former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli and proposed that the party field him in Tambun - the parliamentary seat in Perak held by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The ex-law minister also encouraged the Islamist party to approach former PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, suggesting that he contest in Bentong, which is DAP MP Young Syefura Othman’s seat.

“Both are good leaders, and any political party will find them helpful. PAS should try to persuade them to be their candidates for the next general election.

“Rafizi in Tambun and Nik Nazmi in Bentong will see a good heavyweight contest,” he said on Facebook.

Zaid’s comments were in response to PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, who recently clarified that while the party has no plans to recruit the two leaders into Perikatan Nasional, it would not oppose their cooperation with the opposition bloc in Parliament.

Takiyuddin also noted that both Rafizi and Nik Nazmi are bound by the anti-party hopping law, a factor that could complicate any potential political realignment.

‘Madani apologists’

Zaid also took aim at political analysts who claimed that PAS would not pursue Rafizi and Nik Nazmi, who failed to retain their respective positions in the recent PKR party election, because the duo “lack grassroots support”.

He opined that the analysts are actually worried that the outgoing ministers might be considering the idea.

“They described themselves as political analysts. A more accurate description for them is Madani apologists.

“They are worried that Rafizi and Nik Nazmi will join PAS, so they keep saying that they have no grassroots support,” he added.

He was responding to a report which quoted a fellow of the National Professors Council as stating that it was unlikely that PN would accept the duo.

Both Rafizi and Nik Nazmi resigned from their ministerial positions following their defeat in the party election. However, they remain as the MP for Pandan and Setiawangsa, respectively.

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