KUALA LUMPUR — Sarawak PKR has criticised former party deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli for being selfish in his decision to quit the party and vacate the Pandan parliamentary seat.
“(His) deliberate move to vacate the Pandan parliamentary seat in pursuit of his personal political agenda,” state party secretary Mahmud Epah said in a statement today.
Mahmud said the people’s mandate should not be treated as a “cheap experiment” that can be discarded when personal ambitions are not achieved. He added that voters had elected Rafizi with the expectation that he would serve a full term.
“Abandoning the seat midway is a major insult and a form of betrayal to the country’s democratic institutions,” he added.
He then questioned how leaders who “openly betray the people for personal gain” could be regarded as future leaders.
Yesterday, Rafizi and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad announced they had quit PKR and would step down as the MPs for Pandan and Setiawangsa, respectively, with their resignations taking effect today.
They also said they would lead their own party, having taken over Parti Bersama Malaysia (PBM).
Mahmud criticised Rafizi’s use of the term “kamikaze mission” which the latter used in relation to leading a new party, describing it as an expression of “ego” and a cowardly act that betrayed the trust and mandate of Pandan voters.
Mahmud also that Rafizi’s actions came at a time when Malaysians were struggling with the rising cost of living and needed stronger representation from elected leaders.
“At a time when the people are burdened by the cost of living and need defending, such reckless actions show that he is prioritising publicity and personal positions over the welfare and stability of the constituency he represents,” he said.
Despite these political developments, Sarawak PKR stressed that its grassroots machinery remained loyal to party president Anwar Ibrahim and the central leadership. – May 18, 2026