Parties now fight for power, not the rakyat – Rafizi

JOHOR BAHRU - Have Malaysia's political parties stopped fighting for the rakyat and started fighting only for power?

That was the question raised by Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) leader Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, who claimed the country's major political coalitions of being consumed by political fights and personal ambition instead of addressing the people's concerns.

Speaking at Bersama's candidate announcement for the Johor state election on Friday night, Rafizi claimed parties across the political divide were more interested in deciding who would become prime minister, menteri besar, minister or exco member than solving issues faced by ordinary Malaysians.

"The existing parties spend their time fighting among themselves. They are not concerned about ordinary people or the issues affecting the rakyat.

"Their focus is on who becomes prime minister, menteri besar, minister or exco member," he said.

Rafizi said politics today had become a game of alliances and betrayals, with parties willing to turn against their own allies if it meant winning more seats or gaining greater political influence.

"They only think about who they should work with and who they should stab politically.

"If they have to betray their friends to get more seats, they will do it. It has nothing to do with the rakyat anymore," he said.

He added that recent political developments had exposed the priorities of the country's established parties and justified the need for Bersama as a new political alternative.

Rafizi said Bersama wanted to focus on serving the people instead of playing political games.