Saifuddin-Rafizi clash over 'big tent' concept

SHAH ALAM - The live debate between Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Rafizi Ramli, both gunning for PKR number two post saw them voicing their stand on the "big tent " concept.

Rafizi said Malaysia was facing economic issues with jobless youths and issues linked to food security as cost of living goes up.

"The rakyat want to hear ideas from leaders to settle these problems," he said.

He said the people have played their part after the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal to change the government in 2018.

"And since the Sheraton Move, there is perception that the political leaders are concerned about their own survival rather than settling their own problems," he said during the "Berani Semuka: Who deserves to be with Anwar?" programme organised by Sinar Harian, here, today.

The 90-minute programme which started at 3pm was aired live across all of Sinar Harian's digital platforms.

Also present were Kumpulan Karangkraf Deputy Chairman Datuk Muhamad Nasir Hamzah, Kumpulan Karangkraf Executive Director Akmal Eirfan Mohamed Fauzi, Sinar Harian Chief Executive Officer Farah Hussamuddin and Sinar Harian Editor-in-Chief Rozaid Rahman.

He said the general election may be held less than a year and the party needed to have a strategy.

"So far the strategy is to have a big tent," he added.

He said by having a big tent or to join hands with other parties was like "hugging" political leaders linked with corruption. However, the former Pandan MP said voters wanted new ideas.

But Saifuddin said PKR have held discussions with PKR members to generate ideas on the way forward.

"We have a document on positioning PKR in the 15th General Election (GE15).

“It consists of comprehensive issues such as the sentiment of the voters, strengthening the party, reinforcing the economy, combating corruption, and most importantly to defend the welfare of the people," he said, adding that the ideas were from Malay and non-Malay members.

He said the ideas were according to the reaction of the people.

Later, Saifuddin said PKR and Pakatan Harapan (PH) have long moved on from the idea of cooperating with rival parties as the idea was mooted immediately after the Sheraton Move in February 2020, as PH only needed the support of three MPs at the time to return to capture Putrajaya.

“The sentiment then was that we needed to do something immediately. It was true we tried to garner support to return to power. We held negotiations.

“If we tried, there was an equal chance of succeeding and failing. But if we didn’t try, we would certainly fail. In the end, when we failed, the negotiations stopped, he said, further saying the big tent concept is no longer part of PKR’s agenda.

He further said the party now has a guidebook called Positioning Keadilan in GE15 for the coming general election, further stating that the ‘big tent’ concept has never discussed in PKR.

“I will hold on to the fact that the topic of ‘big tent’ concept has never been discussed in PKR.