PKR UNLIKELY TO SACK RAFIZI
Analysts believe PKR is unlikely to take severe disciplinary action against Rafizi in the immediate term.
This is because the party is likely wary of legal loopholes that could allow him to remain an MP, said Syaza Shukri, a political scientist at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
If Rafizi quits PKR, he would need to vacate his seat but if the party sacks him, he may remain as an MP, based on what happened to opposition party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) members, she noted.
Under Malaysia’s Anti-Hopping Law, MPs must vacate their seats if they resign from their party or join another party.
After six Bersatu MPs switched allegiance to the government in 2023, they were sacked by the party.
However, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul ruled in July 2024 that the MPs were not required to vacate their seats. He said the anti-hopping law was not triggered, because the members were expelled and did not resign of their own accord.
Syaza did not believe that Rafizi having aligned MPs to him would significantly factor into the party’s considerations regarding how they handled the situation
“They can just kick Rafizi out and leave the rest to figure out what they want to do.
“They’re not going to leave now due to the anti-hopping law. Maybe it complicates the long term survival of the party. But even if the party doesn’t do anything now I think the writing is on the wall that they will follow Rafizi for GE16,” she said.
In Hisommudin’s view, PKR’s leadership appears inclined to maintain strategic restraint by allowing the situation with Rafizi to remain unresolved, rather than escalate it with an expulsion.
“This approach suggests a preference to avoid internal fragmentation while managing the political optics of dissent within the party,” he said.
A PKR division head also told CNA the party would leave the situation as it is.
“If the party sacks Rafizi, people will accuse it of curtailing the right of members to speak,” said the division head, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The division head also believed Rafizi had been positioning himself to be the future president of the party.
“In my personal opinion, everyone in politics wants power and Rafizi was upset at being taken out. If you are a president of a political party, you have a lot of power especially when you go into a general election,” added the division head.
The division head pointed out that Rafizi is PKR’s former strategist and still commands support among a number of PKR’s 31 parliamentarians.
Those seen to be aligned with Rafizi include Setiawangsa MP and former environment minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Subang MP Wong Chen, Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung, Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail, Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan, Sungai Siput MP S. Kesavan, Balik Pulau MP Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim, and Batu Pahat MP Onn Abu Bakar.
Rafizi and the nine MPs had signalled their collective stance by signing a joint statement on Apr 20, objecting to a reported plan by the government to adopt a new migrant worker management system.
The group has also held joint press conferences to challenge policy directions they deem inconsistent with reform.
CNA has reached out to PKR and an aide of Rafizi for comments.
