By Zaidi Azmi
Some people make speeches. Some people make sense. Every so often, someone does both. And then there’s Rafizi Ramli.
Perhaps like many these day, I struggle to understand him. His bid to defend his number two post in PKR has turned into a rather confusing debacle, mired with contradictions and irony.
At one of his campaign stops Rafizi made a puzzling plea: “Nurul Izzah must win,” he remarked to those who attended the hustings. Because if you don’t vote for Nurul Izzah, if she loses, what message does that send? That PKR members have rejected Anwar Ibrahim? And so, vote for Nurul Izzah.”
Now, I don’t pretend to understand all the mechanics of party politics. But even from the back row, it feels strange to watch a man campaign; against himself.
However, had Rafizi stopped there; one might argue that he was cleverly employing good’ol reverse psychology.
You know, the kind of mind game where you ask others to do the opposite; hoping that they will instead do the contrary—which is what you actually want them to do in the first place.
Twisted? You bet. Strategic? Debatable. Cringe? You decide.
But alas, Rafizi’s parting shot did not end there.
In his ensuing remark, the Minister of Economy doubled down on the unavoidable dilemma of Nurul Izzah’s candidacy in the one-on-one electoral bout for the number two seat in PKR.
“We can no longer have the result in any other way.
“Regardless of what we personally feel, regardless of what others feel…we cannot have a different result.
“Because if Nurul Izzah does not win. It means that party members have rejected Anwar Ibrahim.
“And so, ladies and gentleman, if you have a long life and there is another party election, please think things thoroughly,” he said.
Oh my. One can almost taste the pangs of bitterness in his words.
So basically, according to Rafizi, PKR is now stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Party members are now being told they have no real choice. The result, apparently, must be preordained for the sake of symbolism.
Because, anything less would be a referendum against the Prime Minister himself.
But here’s the thing; there is always a choice in life. And PKR would not have been in such a quandary had Rafizi simply chosen not to recontest his incumbent post in the first place.
If he truly believed Nurul Izzah’s victory was essential—to preserve the image of unity, to protect Anwar’s standing—why file his candidacy just hours after hers?
It’s hard not to see this as a trap of Rafizi’s own making.
He placed PKR between a rock and a hard place, then turned around and warned others to tread carefully. And now, having boxed the party into this corner, he lectures members about being mindful of the consequences of their actions?
Gosh. The audacity.
Note: Zaidi Azmi is the honorary secretary of the National Press Club Malaysia (NPC). His views are his own and do not necessarily represent or reflect those of the NPC.
