PETALING JAYA: Repeated attempts to frustrate key decisions in PKR in the past four years finally culminated in the clash for the party’s deputy presidency, says vice-president Rafizi Ramli.

In an interview with The Star, Rafizi spoke on the differences which eventually built up into a contest for the number two position in PKR between him and incumbent Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

Citing an example, Rafizi said that during the move to launch Pakatan Harapan, Azmin and his allies were against it as they felt that a union with PAS would have been better.

“Likewise when we decided to bring in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Bersatu and agreed to the consensus that he becomes the seventh Prime Minister.

“People like Haniza (PKR Wanita deputy chief Haniza Talha), Zuraida (PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin) and Azmin were against it on the basis that we should have a younger Prime Minister.”

Rafizi said that with PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim now the prime minister-in-waiting, the party needs a solid team that moves in one direction.

“While we entertain different opinions, we can’t continuously tear at each other like this on major strategic decisions.

“We don’t want other backdoor arrangements or discussions or moves that can frustrate (key decisions), because that has always happened in the last four years.

“And there’s enough party people who feel that Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and his group has not necessarily been on the same page with key party decisions,” said Rafizi.

Rafizi said that the choice for PKR members at the party elections is to elect a deputy president who best “fits and complements” Anwar.

“On one hand, we have Azmin who is a senior Cabinet minister. That’s one campaign trajectory which is to use the strength of your track record in government position to strengthen the party further and bring it to a new level.”

The other choice is to opt for a candidate who is active on the ground.

“If the party decides that we want to support Anwar’s leadership by having a much wider grassroots network, then the party members would decide to go with me.

“It’s two options on what kind of party PKR will be in the next 10 years,” he said.

Rafizi said that there has never been such a stark “ideological divide” within PKR on the way forward for PKR,

“There is a strong voice within the party that manifested into this one-on-one clash, which has never happened before in PKR’s election,” he said.

Tomorrow: Rafizi shares his views on the lessons he’s learnt over the past two decades since joining the Reformasi movement, the upcoming Port Dickson by-election, and who he feels should be Deputy Prime Minister when Anwar becomes Prime Minister.