PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim has urged four former party leaders now with Bersama to stop their continued personal attacks on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and PKR, warning that such criticism could benefit Umno and Perikatan Nasional (PN) instead.
Hassan, who referred to Rafizi Ramli, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Wong Chen and Lee Chean Chung as the “gang of four”, said they were mistaken if they believed repeatedly attacking Anwar and PKR would help Bersama gain support at the next general election (GE16).
“By all means, criticise the government and policies that you are not happy with, as I often do. But constantly belittling Anwar and PKR is not going to help Bersama develop,” he told FMT in an interview.
Hassan said such attacks could seriously damage PKR but would not necessarily benefit Bersama, arguing that Umno and PN could ultimately gain from the criticism.
“These leaders would not be where they are today if not for PKR,” he said.
He also urged the four former PKR members to show gratitude towards the party that helped build their political careers, adding that he himself had previously accepted advice from Rafizi to tone down his criticism of Anwar.
Hassan, who has said he will not seek re-election in GE16, recalled that Rafizi had previously cautioned him against being too outspoken while serving as Johor PKR chief, saying there was a responsibility to protect Anwar.
He said he accepted the advice in good faith and avoided making personal criticisms.
On claims that PKR has become the “Anwar family party”, Hassan rejected the description, saying PKR remained the lead party in the unity government.
He also praised Rafizi, describing him as both “brilliant” and a “great strategist”, but said Rafizi should have accepted his defeat to Anwar’s daughter, Nurul Izzah, in the previous PKR leadership election.
Hassan said there had been a group within PKR that wanted Rafizi to contest the presidency in the next party election, with Nurul Izzah remaining as his deputy.
He believed such an arrangement could have strengthened Pakatan Harapan and facilitated a future leadership transition.
On Bersama’s prospects in GE16, Hassan said he expected the party to act as a spoiler in several urban constituencies and potentially win only a small number of seats.
He said Rafizi could potentially retain his Pandan seat, but warned that the other three former PKR MPs could face a different situation because of the support base of DAP in their former constituencies.
At most, he said, they could end up reducing the majorities of PH candidates.
