Rafizi denies attack on son has anything to do with KJ and Ismail Sabri, but silent on Farhash

Rafizi denies attack on son has anything to do with KJ and Ismail Sabri, but silent on Farhash



23 Aug 2025 • 10:00 AM MYT



TheRealNehruism
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Image credit: Kosmo / Kosmo /Ismail Sabri FB / Malay Mail


PKR vice-president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has denied speculation that former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin were in any way linked to the recent syringe attack on his 12-year-old son. However, his refusal to directly address the name of Datuk Seri Farhash Wafa Salvador, who has also been publicly linked to the incident, has raised fresh questions.


The attack, which took place at a Putrajaya shopping mall last week, saw two assailants on a motorcycle follow Rafizi’s wife’s car before dragging the couple’s son and stabbing him with a syringe. The child was rushed to hospital for treatment. While doctors confirmed that no serious injuries were sustained, the assault sent shockwaves through the political establishment.


In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), Rafizi said that false claims had been spread suggesting he was investigating cases linked to Ismail Sabri and Khairy when the attack occurred.


“The first accusation was that I was investigating a case involving Ismail Sabri, supposedly money laundered abroad. The latest accusation is that I was investigating another case involving KJ and projects during his tenure as Health Minister. Both of these accusations are false,” he stressed.


Rafizi described the attempts to tie the two UMNO leaders to the incident as “malicious” and part of an effort to “divert attention away from the real issue” – namely, who ordered the attack, and why.


He revealed that a week before the assault, he had met with whistleblowers about a scandal involving company transactions tied to Farhash Wafa Salvador, a former political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Rafizi did not elaborate further on the nature of these transactions but stressed that the information he had received “has nothing to do with Ismail Sabri, KJ or any other politician.”

The Pandan MP’s silence on Farhash, however, has not gone unnoticed. While he explicitly cleared Ismail Sabri and Khairy of any connection, Rafizi stopped short of offering a similar categorical denial regarding Farhash.


Instead, he appeared to suggest that the swirl of competing narratives was itself a distraction: “The more stories like this emerge, the more people will conclude for themselves that it is an attempt to divert attention.”


For his part, Farhash has already dismissed rumours linking him to the attack with a one-word response: “Crazy.”


This is not the first time Farhash has found himself in the spotlight. Once a close aide to Anwar Ibrahim, he later branched into the business world, building an extensive corporate network. Over the years, whispers about his financial dealings have persisted, but none have been substantiated in court. Rafizi’s statement that whistleblowers had provided information on Farhash’s companies may revive public scrutiny of his business empire.


The attack on Rafizi’s son is widely seen as a chilling escalation in Malaysian political life. While politicians have long endured smear campaigns, threats, and online harassment, the deliberate targeting of a child has triggered outrage and fears of spiralling political violence.


Adding to the sinister atmosphere was a threatening text message received by Rafizi’s wife shortly after the incident. The message, sent from an unknown number, read: “Be quiet. If you continue, AIDS.” Rafizi said he believed the attack was carefully planned and that his wife had been watched by the assailants in the days leading up to the assault.


In the wake of the incident, Rafizi contacted Ismail Sabri personally to assure him of his support for the latter’s decision to file a police report against the false news implicating him. He also called on the public to remain focused on uncovering the mastermind behind the attack rather than being distracted by speculation.


Still, questions remain. Why has Rafizi chosen to exonerate two political figures by name while maintaining silence on a third? Was this a strategic move to avoid worsening tensions within PKR, given Farhash’s past proximity to Anwar? Or is Rafizi deliberately withholding details until investigations progress further?


For now, the attack on Rafizi’s son remains unresolved. What is clear, however, is that Malaysia’s political climate has entered a more dangerous phase – one in which the families of public figures are no longer off-limits.