Rafizi urges PKR leaders, reps appointed to govt posts not to neglect party

SUNGAI PETANI - PKR deputy president, Rafizi Ramli, urged party leaders and elected representatives, appointed to hold positions at the federal and state governments, not to neglect the role they need to play in the party.

Rafizi said that he understands the responsibilities of being part of the government, but party leaders need to realise that if not for the party, members and party machinery, they would not win the election and be given positions in government.

He said that elected representatives and leaders who are appointed as ministers, deputy ministers and political secretaries need to divide their time wisely, and the same thing needs to be applied by those who hold positions at the state government level.

"Sometimes we get carried away with the official affairs (of the ministry) alone, we work in the ministry or the state government, from 8am to 6pm. However, we still have time, from 6 pm to 12 midnight, daily and there is still time on Saturdays and Sundays for the party and the people,” he said while speaking at the Kedah and Penang PKR Election Convention here last night.

According to Rafizi, he was of the view that the person who is now a minister is not forgetful, but carried away with official duties, causing things and work in the party not going smoothly.

Rafizi, who is also the Economy Minister, said that those who are appointed to various positions in the government also need to maintain their style and mannerism similar to when the party was in opposition, by continuously getting to know the people.

"If all of a sudden, now that we have posts in state and federal governments, and our (personal style) changes, that’s the end of us.

Therefore, he reminded any member of the party who intends to contest as a candidate in the state elections in the six states, to think about a suitable way to get to know the people.

In another development, Rafizi stressed that PKR needs to defend the traditional five seats of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly which it won since 2008, namely Sidam, Bakar Arang, Bukit Selambau, Kulim and Lunas.

However, he admitted that there was a risk and a big challenge for PKR to retain those seats following the shift of Malay voter support to Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the last 15th General Election. - BERNAMA