SHAH ALAM, May 15 — PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar has brushed aside calls for a debate with deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, saying her focus is on strengthening engagement with party delegates and continuing her outreach efforts on the ground.
Her response comes after Rafizi indicated he was open to a public debate, suggesting it would “cool the temperature” amid growing grassroots tensions.
“We want to ease the tension because, for us, the priority is to engage with the delegates,” Nurul Izzah replied reporters when asked about the proposed debate after the “Temu Rapat Akar Umbi” event here last night.
“I have my ‘Wanita Mendunia’ programme, and there’s also a programme with the youth. I don’t want us to be too focused on this. It’s not about politicking per se, it’s about engaging with all of our divisions,” she added.
Rafizi proposed a debate at his campaign tour in Temerloh, Pahang last night, saying it could generate greater public interest in PKR polls and help strengthen support for president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to go for a second term as prime minister.
“Instead of us talking separately, me to my supporters, Izzah to hers where she says we don’t know, and we say she knows, someone suggested… let’s just make it simple, we’re a reformist party, we champion a new political culture, so the way forward is, let’s have a debate.
“I’ve debated KJ, I’ve debated the brightest minds in PAS, the Bachok MP with the ‘ro, ro, ro’ and ‘neh, neh, neh’, I’ve debated him too.
“So if I’ve managed to debate the tough ones, I’m sure, God willing, I can debate Nurul Izzah, hosted by a neutral organiser, so we can bring down the temperature,” he said in his speech, which was livestreamed on his YouTube channel.
KJ refers to podcaster Khairy Jamaluddin who was formerly a minister and an Umno politician until his sacking from the party in January 2023.
Rafizi added that the proposed debate would allow PKR members, and even members of the public, to make more informed decisions ahead of the party polls.
“Because in our party, there are more spoons than gravy.
“The leadership’s fine, it’s the grassroots who are clashing every day. So to avoid that, let’s have a debate. I’ll present my views, Izzah can present hers, and party members and the public can make an informed decision”.
The push for a debate began after Rafizi had urged his supporters to back Nurul Izzah in the upcoming PKR central leadership election for the deputy president post, arguing that her defeat would harm the party’s reputation and be viewed as a rejection of Anwar, who is also her father.
He blamed senior PKR leaders for pushing Nurul Izzah to contest, saying it had created an unnecessary issue driven by internal efforts to sideline division leaders aligned with him.
Rafizi also said there had been a consensus within the central leadership council and political bureau that the top two positions should not be contested, in order to preserve party unity.
