Kajang Move achieved its objective, says strategist Rafizi
He added that Pakatan had at least managed to stop the demonstrations which right-wing Malay groups had planned to carry out in front of churches over the Bible row. “Imagine if that had gone on, we would see something worse than May 13 if Christians had wanted to retaliate. May 13 was mainly about politics, but this would have been about religion.”
Anisah Shukry, The Malaysian Insider
Has the Kajang Move, the brainchild of PKR strategist Rafizi Ramli to save Selangor from Umno by toppling Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, become increasingly moot?
Five months after he devised the strategy, and RM1.6 million of taxpayers’ money later, the Selangor menteri besar remains unchanged, the man chosen to unseat him is facing jail time, and the 11th-hour alternative, his wife, has made no indication of wanting to move higher up than the Kajang state seat.
Jaded netizens have dubbed the strategy “The Kajang Fraud” and noted that little has happened since the Kajang by-election, but Rafizi insists that it can still be the game-changer it was meant to be.
“Has it really been five months? It can’t have been,” Rafizi said, laughing and shaking his head as he was reminded of his blogpost on January 29, 2014 titled: The Kajang Move: Game Changer in Putrajaya Quest.
“Although the Kajang Move turned out to be a slightly different variation of what we initially planned, I’m optimistic it is still going to be another game-changer,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
How so, when Khalid is still the top man and shows no sign of budging?
“Even though people say the Kajang Move was a failure because Khalid is still there, it achieved its purpose, which was to create the option (of having him replaced),” said Rafizi.
“And I think the public opinion is questioning Khalid now more than ever, and have come to see the Kajang Move was a necessary step. So I think Khalid has to take heed of public sentiment.”
And although Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is now out of the picture, Rafizi said PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was more than capable of taking up the menteri besar’s post.
“Don’t underestimate Wan Azizah as menteri besar. The goodwill that people extend to Wan Azizah is a lot more than is enjoyed by most Pakatan leaders,” said Rafizi.
He said that as Selangor’s menteri besar, “Kak Wan” had room to impress and surprise people, particularly with her tactfulness and ability to lead the masses.
“The challenges she will face will be different compared with being a first-term menteri besar. It’s not enough to be clean, you must be seen as more consultative, decisive.
“And she has proven she is this in her leadership style – she doesn’t impose, she is respectful, she is the best listener in PKR,” said Rafizi.
However, Rafizi admitted that the original plan, which was to have Anwar as menteri besar, would have been the ideal situation.
“It’s not going to be as straightforward as (having) Anwar. Of course, the best case scenario was for Anwar to become menteri besar and I think by now, the public can see how destructive the move was to Umno, that’s why it was willing to turn things upside down to stop him.”
Anwar’s firm hand and moral courage would have helped to solve all of Selangor’s woes, said Rafizi.
However, critics of the Kajang Move have argued that Anwar could have used his position as opposition leader to bring changes in the state.
“That’s what I used to think, too, until I learned how feudal-minded most Malaysians are,” said Rafizi.
“As opposition leader, you really are good for nothing in the people’s eyes, whereas as chief minister, it gives you moral legitimacy. Look at (Penang Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng, look at Khalid.
“If the Kajang Move had gone on as planned, the majority of Malaysians who are non-partisan would see Anwar not as ‘Anwar Ibrahim’, but the menteri besar.
“And that’s why Umno took this threat so seriously and had him removed,” said Rafizi, referring to the Court of Appeal’s March 6 verdict against Anwar on a sodomy charge.
Considering the ease with which PKR found a replacement for Anwar for the Kajang seat after he was disqualified, was the Kajang Move even necessary?
“Back then, there was neither Wan Azizah nor Anwar (in the Selangor state assembly),” said Rafizi.
“(The Selangor menteri besar) has to be the consensus of all three parties, and we were under the impression – or at least I was – that there was no acceptable candidate from the existing assemblymen from all three parties at that time.”
When asked whether this meant Pakatan Rakyat merely relied on politics of personality than of ideology, Rafizi responded, carefully: “I don’t think so. I think it’s a question of politics of trust.
“We have problems with Khalid, whether people like it or not. It’s a question that among the existing assemblymen before the Kajang Move, whether anyone can command enough leadership and trust because that’s what it entails.”
When reminded that Khalid was still the menteri besar, despite PKR having secured a replacement, Rafizi gave a rueful sigh.
“Without the mandate, I can’t do much. In January, I gave that option (of the Kajang Move to PKR leaders), and the party leadership agreed with my opinion on how we want to move ahead.
“My opinion on this is clear and hasn’t changed since January,” he said.
However, he added that at the rate Khalid and Selangor were going, the public would likely see a change of leader within the year.
“There is a lot of anxiety about how things are going; there’s a sense that we need to be more decisive and not allow ourselves to be on the firing line, especially from our own voters.
“It is one thing to face attack from Utusan, but it’s another to have to face disappointment and disillusionment from your own voters.”
In hindsight, the Pandan MP said he still felt the Kajang Move was justified and worth every ringgit spent on the by-election.
“Even back then, the issue of whether it was a waste of public funds was not a top issue because I personally thought differently.
“I think it’s in the interest of the public to continue to make national referendums on BN,” he said, pointing to the United States and United Kingdom, which he said had different elections about every two years.
He added that Pakatan had at least managed to stop the demonstrations which right-wing Malay groups had planned to carry out in front of churches over the Bible row.
“Imagine if that had gone on, we would see something worse than May 13 if Christians had wanted to retaliate. May 13 was mainly about politics, but this would have been about religion.”
