Rafizi Anwar S Loyalists Not Helping To Create Winnable Narrative

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Fresh from announcing his comeback into active politics, Rafizi Ramli has taken aim at PKR president Anwar Ibrahim’s “loyalists”, whom he claimed to have failed to help create a winnable narrative for the party and Pakatan Harapan since the 14th general election.
Reflecting on PKR's performance in the recent Johor state election, Rafizi said the party has failed to convince the people of its original narrative, shaped by factors including consistency and commitment to offer solutions for their everyday problems.
“From the results of the Sarawak, Sabah, Malacca, and Johor elections, we can see that no matter how hard those on the ground are working, if the central narrative is weak, we will be left behind,” said the former Pandan MP.
“I pity Anwar because he has many supporters but they are not helping to create this narrative. 
“Sometimes these loyalists are the ones dragging him down,” said Rafizi during a no-holds-barred two-hour discussion with Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar last night.
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim speaking at a Pakatan Harapan campaign event during the Johor state electionHe was responding to questions posed by Johor PKR chief Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh as the discussion’s moderator. 
Rafizi, a former PKR vice-president, had ended his political hiatus by announcing plans to contest the deputy president’s post, which was left vacant since the departure of International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali to join Bersatu during the Sheraton Move which ended Harapan’s 22-month stint in Putrajaya. 
Since then, both Rafizi and Nurul Izzah noted that Anwar has unfairly been made responsible for losses based on collective decisions, as well as failures of those close to him.
“We need this narrative to be reshaped. Set a new benchmark for politicians. 
“It is no longer enough to just raise issues in Parliament or on Twitter,” said Rafizi.
Nurul Izzah has yet to formally announce her comeback plans, having resigned from her post as an elected vice-president since 2018.
Throughout the discussion, it was however implied that she would be teaming up with Rafizi in the party’s upcoming elections next month.
Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah AnwarShortly after Rafizi’s announcement, former PKR Perak chief Farhash Wafa Salvador had accused him of implicitly attacking Anwar.
Farhash, who is Anwar’s former political secretary and had announced plans to contest the deputy president’s post, also challenged Rafizi to instead take on the top spot.
‘No problem with president’
Rafizi, however, reiterated he has no problems with Anwar’s presidency and his comeback was based on belief in PKR’s narrative of being a multi-racial party that enlightens the people. 
“The best place for me to enter this time is as deputy president because I don't think I have a problem with the president.
“I don’t feel that at his age of 75, he should be running like those in their 40s. The problem is with people around him who are supposed to be running but yet they are not,” said Rafizi.
“I feel that those around Anwar should have been more hardworking, more efficient, and brought about bigger impacts.
“Not wait to see what Anwar would do and hang around to carry his bags. Not ask Anwar to do everything but yet they ‘sell his name’ to rise within the party. That is very dangerous,” he said.
Rafizi added that he has consistently spoken out against such practices within PKR, believing they only represent a small group claiming to be Anwar’s loyalists.
Overall, Rafizi said being perceived as having an obsession with power over tackling real issues faced by the people could risk PKR and Harapan losing more seats in the next general election as the third choice after BN and Perikatan Nasional.
PKR had continued its series of electoral defeats by winning only one out of 20 seats it contested for in the recently concluded Johor polls. - Mkini

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