Amirudin feels the heat as quiet campaign unfolds in PKR to contain Rafizi

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari could find himself on the chopping block amid efforts to prevent the rise of Rafizi Ramli in PKR ahead of the upcoming party elections, in what party insiders say is reminiscent of Anwar Ibrahim's failed Kajang Move about a decade ago.

MalaysiaNow has learnt from party insiders that the growing influence of Rafizi in PKR, who is taking advantage of both his position in the Cabinet and the vacuum left by former deputy president Mohamad Azmin Ali, who once defeated him for the number two post, is increasingly being viewed with caution by Anwar.

"Rafizi has increased his influence in the party, especially in Selangor, since the PKR split in 2020 following Azmin's sacking. It was therefore expected that he would easily defeat Saifuddin Nasution in the 2022 contest for the deputy president.

"Ultimately, the only way up for Rafizi is to go after the presidency. That also means the end of the Anwar dynasty," the source told MalaysiaNow.

It was an open secret that Anwar had tacitly supported Saifuddin - whom one senior party leader described as "a staunch acolyte" for the party boss - in the race for deputy president two years ago.

Saifuddin, whose relationship with the prime minister dates back to their Umno days, played a key role in the secret negotiations with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to form a political alliance that ensured the PKR leader could realise his ambitions to become prime minister after the 2022 general election.

But the home minister, who lost his Kulim Bandar Baharu seat in the last general election, has no clout within the party, let alone in Selangor PKR, a state whose support is essential for anyone vying for key top posts.

The source said there had been “frantic gestures from the top” for Amirudin – who as MB has a better chance of winning support for himself in Selangor – to enter the deputy president's race, making it even more difficult for Rafizi to defend the post.

"So far, Amirudin has resisted as he feels secure in his newfound alliance with Rafizi," it added.

"However, for his refusal, he is likely to pay a heavy price."

Another party insider said Anwar had tried to use Amirudin to stop Rafizi's rise.

"This was also the reason why Anwar agreed not to axe Amirudin in the Selangor state election last year despite the latter being linked to Azmin in the past," it said.

The replacement of the MB is likely to follow the 2014 playbook,when PKR forced a by-election in the state seat of Kajang in the hope of getting Anwar’s wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, into the state assembly.

The strategy, known as the "Kajang Move", was ultimately aimed at replacing the then MB Abdul Khalid Ibrahim with Wan Azizah, but heavily backfired when the Selangor sultan refused to appoint her.

Veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin said Anwar's latest move to bring in Tengku Zafrul Aziz from Umno was part of the grand plan to replace Amirudin.

"There are pressures and shadow plays that we are not seeing. For example, the current MB of Selangor, Amirudin Shari, will be removed, the Sungai Tua seat will become vacant and Tengku Zafrul will step up.

"Amirudin will remain MP in Gombak and may be appointed minister. Tengku Zafrul will take his place as MB," Kadir wrote.

For now, the split in PKR could find its way into the Cabinet, and the party could once again be the cause of instability in the government as was the case four years ago.

In 2020, the PH government collapsed after Azmin's faction refused to support Anwar's pressure on then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to resign.

Following Mahathir's shock resignation in February that year, Azmin and about a dozen other PKR leaders allied with him joined a new coalition government, leading to their expulsion from the party.