Following is the justification PKR vice president Rafizi Ramli offered in 2014 for the fatal Kajang Move. Today, TTF will undertake to highlight (in bold, blue) the untruths Rafizi propagated just so that Malaysians can see what a liar and scoundrel the Pandan MP truly is.
THE THIRD FORCE
The Kajang Move: Game Changer in Putrajaya Quest
January 29, 2014
Rafizi Ramli
I am aware that there is a lot of explanation that has to be made on the decision to vacate the Kajang seat to force a by-election. I am also acutely aware of Dato’ Ambiga’s advice communicated personally to me that we have to be as honest as possible with the people.
Apology to the public
TTF: On Wednesday, the 6th of September 2017, Rafizi revealed that Dato’ Ambiga Sreneevasan played an important role in deposing former Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
“Prior to Kajang Move, I met her personally at Bangsar Shopping Centre over lunch to listen to her views on the performance of the Selangor MB then,” he said, adding, “At the meeting, she also passed a document that eventually formed one of the key considerations that led to PKR’s decision to remove Khalid Ibrahim through the Kajang Move”
However, not only was Ambiga’s alleged role kept secret, the public was told that the Kajang Move had nothing to do with plans to oust Khalid. And yet, Rafizi claimed that the plan was “to be as honest as possible to the people.” Duh???
So let me begin by offering the sincerest apology to the Malaysian public especially the voters of Kajang. The by-election will certainly consume public money and public space at the time when the people have to go through economic hardship.
There is no excuse for wasting public money except to offer my sincerest apology and for the party to be prepared if the voters of Kajang decide to punish us.
In all honesty, as the strongest proponent of the scheme I bear most responsibility for the decision.
TTF: I just demonstrated to you guys (above) how Rafizi attempted to hold Ambiga culpable by insisting that the so-called document she passed him “formed one of the key considerations that led to PKR’s decision to remove Khalid Ibrahim through the Kajang Move”
However, Latheefa Koya seems to have a different view. According to the PKR central leadership council member, Ambiga was opposed to the Kajang Move from day one, seeing that the move was architected by Rafizi just to prevent Dato’ Seri Azmin Ali from becoming Selangor Menteri Besar.
And yet, Rafizi is telling you guys that Ambiga had a hand in the Kajang cock-up. He appears to have forgotten that he agreed to bear responsibility for the move, going so far as to say that the move was “for the benefit of all Selangorians.”
Can you now see how the Sotong lies through his teeth?
Dynamics in Umno, racial and religious controversies
Yet precisely because we are honest to ourselves and the people, we have to acknowledge that there are problems and challenges that we are facing in Selangor that require intervention.
TTF: Honest?? Do I need to explain myself again??
While Khalid Ibrahim’s administration has shown sterling performance over the last 6 years that endears him to the public, there are rooms for improvement in many areas especially given the latest dynamics in Umno.
TTF: Rafizi kept talking about Khalid’s shortcomings, but failed to itemise any of them on paper for the public to see. The only document that ever saw the light of day was a haphazardly compiled 91-page dossier that led to a lawsuit being brought against Dato’ Saifuddin Nasution by Khalid.
Saifuddin latter admitted that the dossier was slanderous, leading to an out of court settlement on the 16th of August 2015 that saw the then PKR Secretary General apologizing to Khalid. In other words, Rafizi’s “room for improvement” battle-cry was proven to be an excuse just to prevent Azmin from becoming Selangor Menteri Besar.
And yet, Azmin ended up wresting the state’s leadership from Khalid. Now, doesn’t that make Rafizi look stupid?
It is an open secret that the move to remove Najib Razak has begun. As a party strategist, I cannot rule out the possibility that Najib is removed and Umno falls to the ultras led by Mahathir Mohamad’s faction.
TTF: Today, his party president shares a stage with Mahathir and has more or less forgiven the grand old man for jailing Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Rafizi seems to be silent about this, or the fact that Mahathir is now Pakatan Harapan Top Dog. And yet, the Pandan MP told voters in 2014 that Khalid needed to be removed to anticipate the return of Mahathirism.
Yes, he took you guys for a jolly good ride.
The unscrupulous attack and schemes to take Selangor by hook or by crook will begin the moment the weak Najib is removed. Even as we speak, Umno’s cards are all too obvious in the latest round of racial and religious controversies stirred up in Selangor in the last few months.
Should Najib fall, expect a full blown manipulation of racial and religious issues to create mistrust and frustration with the Selangor government.
TTF: Not only did Mahathir fail in ousting Najib, the Prime Minister just keeps getting stronger and stronger. Does this not prove that the Kajang Move was a grave miscalculation on Rafizi’s part? Is that why the Pandan MP attempted to shift the blame onto Ambiga?
Model state as a launchpad for Putrajaya
While Khalid Ibrahim’s administration has set a gold standard in integrity and prudence in managing public funds, we also have to admit there are also other areas that we can improve. We need radical approach to solving the traffic woes, the pace of affordable public housing has to pick up. There is a need for more rigorous forward planning of water resources in Selangor and some hard decisions have to be made soon. We have to vigorously protect the rights of the minorities who are the targets of Umno’s political game.
As an MP, I certainly believe we can do better especially with regards to cleanliness and livelihood of the people. We have the potential to be a model state with least potholes in densely populated areas.
In other words, Selangor has to be doubly better than what it is today if it were to become a showcase for Pakatan in its quest for Putrajaya. Just as Istanbul was a launchpad for Erdogan and Jakarta is a launchpad for Jokowi, Selangor can be a great launchpad for Pakatan to take over Putrajaya.
TTF: A lot of bark, but sadly, no bite. As I said, the only justification PKR ever had to remove Khalid was a 91-page dossier that was later proven to be a fabrication.
Fortification of Pakatan in Selangor
The job is not done and we are about to face another round of onslaught from Umno.
Therefore, while it is certainly inexcusable to spend public fund unnecessarily in a by-election, it is an even bigger dereliction of public duty if we do not do anything, knowing that this round is going to be tougher.
What PKR and Pakatan Selangor need is a fortification so that we can expedite reforms and simultaneously fend off political attacks and manouvres from Umno. We need as many of our top leaders around Selangor to defend Selangor because it remains the crown jewel of any political coalition in the country.
Hence the decision to field Anwar Ibrahim for a state seat as this provides an option that we can readily exercise should the need arise.
TTF: Considering that PKR failed to prove Khalid’s shortcomings, why did the party need to risk infuriating voters? Wouldn’t Selangor PKR have been stronger with Khalid as Menteri Besar? Not only did the former MB get along well with PAS excos, he shared a special bond with UMNO reps and even with His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor.
So tell me, how was removing Khalid ever a good idea? The last I checked, Azmin more or less ruined Selangor PKR and caused PAS excos to ditch him. Is Rafizi going to take the heat for that like he promised he would, or is he now going to insist that it was all Ambiga’s doing?
Does this mean there will be a change of stewardship of Selangor government? Maybe yes, maybe no. But we do have the option to optimize our leadership potential if Umno stirs up more trouble.
TTF: Rafizi lied. Weeks later, he admitted that the Kajang cock-up was in fact a long-range mission to unseat Khalid and to use Selangor as a Launchpad for Anwar’s career.
Option is key. Having the option means having the flexibility of manouvres that can easily frustrate Umno’s game in Selangor especially with regards to racial and religious controversies.
Avoid the Kedah experience
At the end of the day, I know no amount of explanation can sooth the public anger. I only appeal for time to let the rationale sink in and space for us to do the necessary.
TTF: I haven’t the faintest idea what he’s driving at here.
I also have to apologise on behalf of my party for the differences we have among ourselves that are seen as factional and often frustrates the public. Yet we trying our best to resolve it now for the sake of Malaysians, because not doing it now will certainly condemn us to the same experience of Pakatan in Kedah. We learn the lesson bitterly that differences must be managed early because the party always has to be whole to face Umno.
TTF: I think I’ve explained myself well so far, enough to let you guys know why none of the gibberish above makes any sense.
The game-changing Kajang Move
Good political leaders will never be popular. It pains me that we have to drag Anwar Ibrahim through this and subject him to public anger, yet his willingness to be a part of the bigger picture is the mark of the man.
TTF: Anwar came out weeks later to admit that he himself sanctioned the move to oust Khalid. So the question of Rafizi or PKR “dragging Anwar” through the mud – so to speak – does not arise.
Throughout the last few days, I reassured myself that it was Churchill who chose to be unpopular and remained a minority voice of alarm against the advancing Nazis till the end despite a public popularity to appease the Nazis. An the height of Nazi’s power, Churchill stood alone when every one else in Europe bowed to Hitler.
TTF: Puhleeaaaazzzzeee lah….let us not insult Churchil, shall we? Heck, even Hitler was far better a tactician than Rafizi can ever hope to be.
The conviction of doing the right thing, in the face of extreme criticism and public anger, remains a yardstick of what an honest leadership is.
I thank the top leadership of Pakatan who understand the necessity of doing this. I thank my comrades in the second leadership line up of Pakatan who have given the moral and political support for us to proceed.
TTF: I don’t think I need to repeat myself here, or highlight just how stupid Rafizi probably feels for having said that.
I hope that one day when we are in Putrajaya, we can look back to the difficult days of what will be called the “Kajang Move” as the game changer in our quest for Putrajaya. I honestly hope that it will our defining moments that allow us one step closer to Putrajaya.
TTF: Even a real-live-sotong straight out from the sea would probably have reached Putrajaya by now…
I maybe naïve and ridiculed for my naivette, but that’s as honest as I can be.
TTF: For once, Rafizi spoke the truth. And might I add, he’s stupid.
Let’s look ahead for a stronger Pakatan in Selangor posed to take over Putrajaya in the next election and don’t look back.
TTF: Duh???
