Rafizi concedes defeat in PKR deputy president contest

Updated 7 years ago · Published on 16 Nov 2018 9:53PM · 7 Comments

Rafizi Ramli (pic) says he believes Mohamed Azmin Ali will be announced as the winner of the PKR deputy president race as the latter is ahead by 2% of the popular vote. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 16, 2018.

RAFIZI Ramli has conceded defeat to Mohamed Azmin Ali in the battle for the PKR deputy presidency.

Despite having solid reasons to demand a revote, he said, he will not do so as the party’s struggles are paramount, and must take centre stage following the conclusion of its contentious polls.

“The unofficial results show that the difference in votes for Azmin and me is about 2,500, less than 2% of the overall votes cast by some 141,000 members.

“I believe Azmin will be announced as the winner based on the popular vote, of which he received 51% to my 49%.”

Rafizi said the impact of an Azmin loss would be much greater than his own, as the incumbent PKR No. 2 holds important posts.

“He is a minister, two-term incumbent and former menteri besar. If he lost to an ‘unemployed’ man, it could see him leaving the political arena for good.

“His supporters would also find it difficult to accept it if he lost,” said Rafizi, citing Azmin loyalist Vernon Kedit, who had lodged multiple reports with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over the Julau membership issue, “which was previously not raised”.

He said he is confident that if a revote was held in Julau, there was a big possibility he would win, and that individuals like Kedit, who is Sarawak PKR information chief, would drag the party to court and the Registrar of Societies.

It was reported that Julau saw a surge in membership in June, from 600 to 13,000 within just one day. The e-voting system used in the division was also allegedly hacked, with voting data wiped from some tablets used during the polls.

The PKR elections, which kicked off in September and were held in stages by state, were plagued by problems from the start.

Besides the hacking claims, the issues included poor internet connection in some areas, allegations of sabotage, missing or unregistered votes, long queues, and scuffles breaking out when polling stations closed before some members could cast their e-ballots. Revotes had to be conducted in several states.

Rafizi said if disputes over the polls results continue through the weekend, when PKR holds its national congress, the burden will be president Anwar Ibrahim’s to bear.

“Anwar will be accused of not being capable of managing the party. He will be criticised for being seemingly unable to discipline leaders under him. There will be those from both within and without PKR questioning whether he is fit to be Malaysia’s eighth prime minister.”

To avoid this, he said, he is making the decision to not appeal the results of the PKR deputy president race, and is throwing in the towel.

“I am confident that if we bring about change based on the Reformasi ideal that we are fighting for, it will greatly benefit the people.

“And, I am confident that the best person to carry this out is Anwar, as our eighth prime minister.” – November 16, 2018.

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Comments

  • Serves you right you arrogant brat. People looked up to you and supported you at one point. You've lost it all.

    Now shut up and get back to work!

    Posted 7 years ago by Alif Emran · Reply

  • Just get lost Rafizi...u are A disgrace

    Posted 7 years ago by Hantoo Blacklord · Reply

  • No money now...broke Rafizi....become GRAB driver like me laaaa

    Posted 7 years ago by Hantoo Blacklord · Reply

  • A concession speech this is not. It is nothing more that unstatesmen behaviour. Rafizi who at one time was held in high regard had committed too many missteps since the PH win in GE14. From his tantrum at not being nominated to be the Finance Minister to crude statements and unfounded accusations against Azmin to now being out of the race for Deputy President of PKR. His entire candidacy for this election is that he will put Anwar as PM as if that is the most important thing on the minds of all Malaysians. It is probably the only important thing on the agenda of Anwar, his wife and daughter as can be seen from their selfish behaviour in wanting a stranger to vacate a parliamentary seat for Anwar. Just as the Kajang move backfired and instead set the stage for Azmin to show his prowess and ability as a leader, the PD move has backfired in the eyes of Malaysians as they witnessed the single-minded and unadulterated and shameless ambition of a family who believe that the post of PM is the personal property of one man. Rafizi has only demonstrated his lack of integrity and his approach just like BN to win at all cost regardless the cost to the party and regardless of fairness and integrity based election process. For all his complaints against BN gerrymandering GE14, he turns a deaf ear to the same complaints with regards to the irregular membership in many divisions that supported him. He has shown himself to be a chameleon whose raison d'tre for existence in politics is to serve Anwar's every whim and fancy. The latter has shown he is no true leader and in his hatred of Azmin nearly brought down PKR in a hail of fire and even now has probably caused a massive schism in PKR that will never heal.

    Posted 7 years ago by Michael Raj · Reply

  • Rafizi..you have made a senior run of his money..now it's up to PH or PKR on how to utilize him..one thing u can deny, he has brain of brilliant..look how KJ already enticed of him

    Posted 7 years ago by Khairul Anuar · Reply

  • Whatever the outcome, everything has come to pass. The rightful has settled as preordained. The only nagging thoughts left in the rakyat mind is no more of Azmin or Rafizi BUT Anwar .....???????. Is he worthy now to be the country 8th PM. Should he be one??? The damages done to his own party and all his detesting antics are now portray in high resolution, clear as a bright sunny day depicting Anwar himself could be the devil in character and in a fleeting moment behaving sweetly as a saint. The old man has obviously put out his dubious fine fine print in his underlying statement that Anwar will take over if the people chooses. So it is up to the rakyat choice. The old man promises of two years to make his exit are well accepted and documented but fate sometimes play tricks to commitmentit as Anwar might have the possibility of treading on his own pitfalls explicitly by his own doings from his constant fool hardy shenanigans. Rakyat is dumbfounded by Anwar behavioural pattern which denotes a lack of demeanour expected from an incacerated politician suffering the travesty of justice.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Menyesal buat sumbangan kat Invoke. He should now show all the money and its utilization to the donors. Very disappointing indeed. Still a small boy.

    Posted 7 years ago by Jebat Hebat · Reply