SHAH ALAM, July 16 — The new PKR leadership and party members are reminded not to blindly defend president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in every matter, said new deputy president Mohd Rafizi Ramli.
He claimed that problems arose when groups around Anwar often felt that they needed to defend the leader to the extent that the party president seems to be beyond criticism.
“What is important to the party and the new leadership is not to try ‘bodek’ (brown nose) Anwar or defend him. Anwar is Anwar… he does not need to be defended. I am not going to play that role (to brown nose), for example if I feel (something is) wrong, it does not mean I think (it is) Anwar (who did) wrong.
“But in the best interest of the party, we need to address any problems whether it is about Anwar, myself, PKR state assemblyman or members of the Central Leadership (MPP). We all can be held accountable within the party,” he told reporters after Anwar’s policy speech at the 2022 PKR National Congress here today.
Meanwhile, Mohd Rafizi said PKR and Pakatan Harapan (PH) needed to consider two important things before deciding to collaborate with other opposition parties or to adopt the ‘big tent’ approach in the 15th General Election (GE15).
He said it is imperative that PKR considers the sentiments of party members and PH supporters on whether to use the ‘big tent’ approach and secondly, its possible implications.
“If grassroots sentiment sends a message openly rejecting the ‘big tent’ but the leadership persists to ignore this (means) you are not able to convince the hardcore, so how then can you convince the (PH) supporters?” Rafizi questioned.
