Former Malaysian ministers Rafizi and Nik Nazmi to quit PM Anwar’s PKR, give up MP seats

KUALA LUMPUR: Two former Malaysian Cabinet ministers from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) are quitting the party and vacating their respective parliamentary seats.  

Former Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli and former Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad made the announcement at an event on Sunday (May 17), adding that they would write officially to the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (Malaysia's House of Representatives) on Monday to convey this decision.

With the current parliamentary term already more than three years in, the seats will simply remain vacant until the next general election, bypassing the need for by-elections. 

Rafizi who is Pandan Member of Parliament and Nik Nazmi who is Setiawangsa MP will be joining Parti Bersama Malaysia on Tuesday, a minor political party registered 10 years ago.  

It took part in the 2018 elections, but lost in all five parliamentary and 20 state seats it had contested in Penang. 

The party’s founder and president, Tan Gin Theam, officially handed over the registration certificate of the party to the duo at the event, which took place at the PJ Performing Arts Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. 

Both Rafizi and Nik Nazmi also said they will formally convey their decisions to exit PKR to the party’s secretary-general Fuziah Salleh. 

"Our aspiration is to offer a political platform to like-minded citizens who believe that political power belongs to the people, not to politicians," said Rafizi during the event. 

He added that the party would contest in the upcoming series of elections wherever there is a need to do so. 

He also said that regardless of whichever party currently held those seats, Parti Bersama Malaysia intended to field capable, next-generation candidates, though he cautioned that there is no guarantee of success. 

"We might lose our deposits across all seats and be laughed at. We might retire from politics as failures. But the nation and the younger generation require this leap of vision,” said Rafizi. 

Rafizi likened their decision to a kamikaze mission that was worth undertaking, saying that it was “not about winning elections or becoming ministers,” but about presenting a fresh platform for ideas and visions “without compromise”.

The term kamikaze is a metaphor for a self-sacrificing action where self-destruction is highly probable. 

Both Rafizi and Nik Nazmi resigned from their Cabinet positions last year after their defeat in internal party elections within PKR. 

While Rafizi previously stated his next step would be announced this June, he moved the date forward, coinciding with the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition’s convention in Johor Bahru on Sunday.  

Since his resignation as minister, Rafizi has become one of the government’s most vocal critics, pulling no punches against PKR on his podcast, which began last June after he resigned.

Party insiders previously told CNA that this had caused tension and severe discomfort among the rank and file. 

Among other things, Rafizi has accused Anwar of surrounding himself with "yes-men", protecting vested interests, and failing to deliver on the reforms that once defined PKR.

Anwar himself has sidestepped Rafizi’s criticism and called it an internal party matter while Human Resources Minister and party vice-president R Ramanan has labelled Rafizi a “failed minister" and accused him of acting with an "unhealthy agenda to divide the party". 

Last month, Rafizi dared the party to sack him after he received his second show-cause letter on Apr 9 from its disciplinary board outlining four key allegations against him.

Among other things, Rafizi was accused of tarnishing PKR’s reputation by attacking Anwar’s leadership style, alleging that the premier had protected vested interests and "corporate mafias" and accusing Anwar of defending Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki, who is embroiled in a shareholding controversy. 

Other MPs reported to have attended the event on Sunday included Subang MP Wong Chen, Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail, Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan, Sungai Siput MP S Kesavan, and Balik Pulau MP Bakhtiar Wan Chik. 

It is unclear if they will also tender their resignations as parliamentarians. 

PKR has 31 seats in the parliament.  

Malaysia’s 16th general election must be called by February 2028, although several states face earlier deadlines.

The current Melaka state government’s term ends in December 2026, while the current Johor state government’s term ends in April 2027. This means their state elections are due by February 2027 and June 2027, respectively. 

Sarawak, meanwhile, must hold its state election by April 2027.