RAFIZI Ramli does not go with the flow.

When respectable pollsters were painting a gloomy outcome for Pakatan Harapan, he was telling anyone who would listen that Barisan Nasional would be defeated.

Now that there is an explosion of euphoria in Malaysia following the PH victory on May 9, the PKR vice-president is urging caution and prudence. He would like to see the rigorous questioning of the new government’s policies and decisions.

“It is dangerous to continue the euphoria, that whatever PH does is beyond criticism,” said Rafizi, perhaps aware that this statement is going to be unpopular with the masses, who are still in the honeymoon period following the famous triumph.

But, he is no stranger to controversy.

He recently incurred the wrath of the social media crowd by alleging that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had bulldozed the appointments of Lim Guan Eng (finance minister), Muhyiddin Yassin (home minister) and Mohamad Sabu (defence minister) without consulting PKR.

The backlash was so intense that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had to issue a statement, saying the party supports Dr Mahathir.

In a recent interview with Malaysia Decides, Rafizi was dismissive of social media users who shoot from the hip without knowing the full story.

His biggest critics, he said, were urban, middle-class, English-speaking Malaysians who thought they knew better, even when they did not understand what was happening.

“They were, at times, rather condescending,” said the former Pandan MP.

He said he is confident that in time, these critics will realise the true situation as “more things unravel” and public opinion takes a turn.

“Two years down the line, they will quietly realise that, maybe, I was right, but nobody will come forward to admit that.

“That is the privilege of being a netizen. You can be like this today, like that tomorrow and the next day, without a responsibility to anyone when you tweet and say what you want.

“People like me have a public responsibility that transcends criticism. As long as I have a public duty, I will discharge it.”

Now, after the furore over his comments on Dr Mahathir’s overreach has died down, Rafizi said he is glad that he waded into the issue of cabinet appointments, as PH is not above criticism.

He drew attention to the hammering he invited for proposing the Kajang Move in 2014. ‎The move involved removing Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as Selangor menteri besar, fielding Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in a state seat, and then promoting her as the chief executive of the state.

Rafizi was criticised severely for trying to remove Khalid.

In time, the people found out more about Khalid, who campaigned for BN.

Now, they congratulate Rafizi for his role in the Kajang Move.

Rafizi said he hopes that one day – perhaps sooner rather than later – those who attacked him for questioning Dr Mahathir’s cabinet choices will understand that he was right all along. – May 24, 2018.