Rafizi-Nik Nazmi move seen more as political reorganisation than to address current challenges - Analyst

KUALA LUMPUR - The move by Pandan Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad in taking over Parti Bersama Malaysia is viewed more as an effort to reorganise political influence rather than offering a fresh administrative agenda capable of addressing the country’s current challenges.

Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Seremban, Dr Mazlan Che Soh, said the move raises questions over whether the new political platform can truly offer greater stability and administrative capability compared to the current government.

He said that amid continued global economic uncertainty driven by geopolitical conflicts, trade wars and rising living costs, the public is now more concerned with economic stability, employment opportunities and the government’s ability to administer the country effectively.

"This is where the differences in approach become clearer between Rafizi and the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"While Rafizi appears focused on forming a new political platform, the MADANI government is concentrating on strengthening the economy, improving the country’s fiscal position and ensuring investor confidence remains intact amid a still challenging global economic environment,” he said in a statement today.

Citing official government data and international indicators, Mazlan said Malaysia’s economy has shown increasingly stable growth over the past two years, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rising to 5.1 per cent in 2024, 5.2 per cent in 2025 and 5.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, surpassing the initial projection of 4.8 per cent.

He added that approved investments had steadily increased from RM264.6 billion in 2022 to RM426.7 billion in 2025, while Malaysia also recorded a trade surplus for 71 consecutive months.

Mazlan said the strengthening of the ringgit to around RM3.90 against the US dollar and Malaysia’s improved ranking to 23rd place in the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) global competitiveness index reflected growing confidence in the national economy.

"The unemployment rate, which fell to 2.9 per cent, the lowest since 2015, also shows that economic recovery is not merely statistical, but is beginning to translate into employment opportunities and real economic activity,” he said.

He noted that various economic benefits were increasingly being felt by the public through measures such as the increase in the minimum wage to RM1,700, higher cash assistance of up to RM4,600, improved dividends from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB), higher padi floor prices, as well as targeted subsidies and assistance programmes.

Mazlan also highlighted the government’s continued implementation of strategic projects, including the Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT), the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ), the Pan Borneo Highway, flood mitigation initiatives and artificial intelligence (AI) data centre development projects, which he said would create long-term economic spillover effects.

In addressing global economic challenges, he said the government had also introduced various guarantee and financing schemes for small and medium enterprises, including loan guarantees, micro-credit facilities and targeted financial incentives.

"The current administration’s main focus is clearly on ensuring economic stability and preventing the people from being overly burdened by global uncertainties,” he said.

Reflecting on Rafizi’s previous role overseeing economic matters, Mazlan said the politician was more prominent for promoting reform narratives and technocratic approaches than for delivering implementation outcomes with direct impact on the rakyat.

While acknowledging Rafizi’s strong communication skills and ability to explain economic data, formulas and simulations in detail, Mazlan said modern leadership legitimacy is ultimately judged not only by rhetoric or policy sophistication.

He said some of Rafizi’s previous reform proposals also faced public acceptance challenges due to implementation complexity, particularly involving targeted subsidy mechanisms and integration of national economic databases.

"In some cases, the public feels that various proposals announced have yet to be fully translated into clear outcomes at the implementation stage.

"This has led Rafizi to be viewed more as a political strategist and reform narrative figure rather than an implementing leader with a strong administrative track record on the ground,” he said.

Mazlan added that voters today are becoming increasingly pragmatic in their political evaluations.

According to him, public sentiment is no longer driven solely by slogans of change, but by a government’s ability to ensure economic stability, create jobs and manage living costs effectively.

Amid persistent global economic uncertainty caused by geopolitical conflicts and supply chain pressures, he said most people prioritise policy continuity and administrative stability over untested political experiments.

"For this reason, Rafizi’s move to establish a new political platform while the government is focused on implementing strategic projects, strengthening the country’s fiscal position and restoring investor confidence is seen as unlikely to convince the public that the movement can truly offer better solutions for the country,” he said.

Mazlan stressed that while politics can shape perception, effective administration ultimately determines public confidence in the country’s future. - BERNAMA