SHAH ALAM - PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli refutes Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s claims that it was his personal decision for Pakatan Harapan (PH) not to work with PN.
In a Facebook post, Rafizi said he knew the decision of PH because he held the post of PKR’s deputy president and was involved with the party’s Presidential Council
"Some leaders in PN have not been completely ‘cleaned’ although they want to lead the country.
"First, they look down on those who are younger. Although I am already 45 years old and have been in PKR leadership since I was in my early 20s, in Muhyiddin’s eyes I am just a young man.
"Because in PN, the function of the young people isn’t to make decisions and the leaders aged under 40 in PN are only to follow the lead of those who are two or three decades older,” he said.
This, he highlighted, was the culture of the party that wanted to attract young voters.
Secondly, Rafizi said, these ‘leaders’ were experts in making decisions among themselves and disrespect nor accept the decision made by other parties as they believed they could deal with certain individuals with similar interests.
"They are proud of the culture that turns their backs on these other parties because it is the culture that allowed Muhyiddin to become Prime Minister.
"They do not respect the mandate, the people’s choice or the grassroots of the party. They do not respect democracy,” he said.
Rafizi added that the decision not to include cooperation with PN would be the last decision by the PH Presidential Council.
He further said that PH would strengthen the coalition and contest the 15th General Election as PH.
"‘If there are a few leaders from the parties in PH who still want to discuss with PN, that is their personal view and if Muhyiddin is confident that there will be a second Azmin in PH, that is also his right.
"Any personal views of any leader in PH will not bind the joint decision of the PH Presidential Council which has given an end to PN.
"The main rationale for this decision is because we know that PN’s invitation to work with PH is not to save the country, as claimed by Muhyiddin,” he said.
Instead, Rafizi said it was to save the positions of those who obtained their positions as a result of betraying the people’s mandate in GE14.
He added that the administrative record for PN was not promising which was now made as a weapon by Umno and BN.
"Muhyiddin said we have to go against Umno and BN or else we will need to face corruption, abuse of power and others.
"While Muhyiddin is afraid of Umno’s corruption and abuse of power, Muhyiddin is also the one who accepts Umno members of Parliament who are involved in corruption into PPBM in order for him to become Prime Minister.
"The current Prime Minister and senior ministers are not from PH, they are from Umno.
"It is better for Muhyiddin to state openly that PN wants to work with PH for personal interests and power (not for national interests) because we are not stupid.
"We are young but we are not stupid,” he said.
He added that PKR and PH will continue to convince the people through their efforts against corruption, eradicating the politics of racial hatred and bringing new ideas to solve the people’s problems.
"If we become a government, we will govern the government with our principles and approach.
"If we remain in the opposition, we will ensure that the government does not embezzle the people’s money. That is more dignified than colluding just to gain power,” he added.