Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli says he will likely not stand as a candidate for PKR in the 16th general election, but has decided he will defend his Pandan seat nevertheless. - Screenshot, Sin Chew Daily Facebook, February 23, 2026.
‘Heart no longer in PKR’: Rafizi hints at solo defence of Pandan in GE16
Former economy minister admits his strong-headed nature and difficulty in toeing party line, says he only answers to voters
‘Heart no longer in PKR’: Rafizi hints at solo defence of Pandan in GE16
Former economy minister admits his strong-headed nature and difficulty in toeing party line, says he only answers to voters
Scoop Reporters
Updated 22 seconds ago
23 February, 2026
1:07 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR — Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli will defend his seat in the 16th general election but most likely not as a PKR candidate.
He told Sin Chew Daily this in an interview, saying PKR was “no longer the party that we know”.
“I don’t think I will stand as a PKR candidate. I will still contest in Pandan. That, I have made up my mind. But how I will contest in Pandan, I think that is a secret,” Rafizi said in the interview, excerpts of which was posted to Sin Chew Daily’s Facebook videos.
He said those like him had joined PKR because they were attracted to its “multiracial progressiveness, dynamism, competence and the space that it allows”, but that “a lot of this is no longer in PKR”.
“So if you ask me, my heart is no longer in PKR but I’m here because there is the anti-hopping law. If I leave the party, never mind what happens to me, but Pandan will lose an MP.”
Rafizi, who was replaced as economy minister in a December cabinet reshuffle, acknowledged that he was “too strong-headed” and “too independent minded” for “any party” to handle.
“People like me… we don’t necessarily toe the line. So that’s also my challenge as a politician, I’ve grown my career with a certain image, a certain track record that may not fit in many political parties that exist now.”
“I’m not here to serve a prime minister. I have a constituency. I have the public to answer to.”
Rafizi, who was Pandan MP from 2013 to 2018, and was re-elected in GE15 in 2022, acknowledged that defending the seat on his own would be a tough fight.
“But if your objective is continuous political change, then winning is not necessarily the objective. It’s about the long-term. I want to make sure that progressive multiracial politics survive.”
Rafizi was also asked in the interview if he would consider teaming up with another political outcast, Khairy Jamaluddin who was sacked from Umno in January 2023.
Rafizi said he and Khairy would like disagree as they had different objectives and views on politics.
“If you put us in the same room, we will disagree. Khairy is very much an establishment figure…I think he believes you can make a difference if you are government, if you are prime minister, then you can make changes
“But if you follow my career, I don’t necessarily subscribe to that. I think my contribution to society is pushing for changes to enlighten society towards a certain direction that is better for the country, no matter how incremental it is.
“I think I can also play a very effective role outside govt, even as a social activist
So my objective and his objective and style very different,” Rafizi said. – February 23, 2026
Updated 22 seconds ago
23 February, 2026
1:07 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR — Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli will defend his seat in the 16th general election but most likely not as a PKR candidate.
He told Sin Chew Daily this in an interview, saying PKR was “no longer the party that we know”.
“I don’t think I will stand as a PKR candidate. I will still contest in Pandan. That, I have made up my mind. But how I will contest in Pandan, I think that is a secret,” Rafizi said in the interview, excerpts of which was posted to Sin Chew Daily’s Facebook videos.
He said those like him had joined PKR because they were attracted to its “multiracial progressiveness, dynamism, competence and the space that it allows”, but that “a lot of this is no longer in PKR”.
“So if you ask me, my heart is no longer in PKR but I’m here because there is the anti-hopping law. If I leave the party, never mind what happens to me, but Pandan will lose an MP.”
Rafizi, who was replaced as economy minister in a December cabinet reshuffle, acknowledged that he was “too strong-headed” and “too independent minded” for “any party” to handle.
“People like me… we don’t necessarily toe the line. So that’s also my challenge as a politician, I’ve grown my career with a certain image, a certain track record that may not fit in many political parties that exist now.”
“I’m not here to serve a prime minister. I have a constituency. I have the public to answer to.”
Rafizi, who was Pandan MP from 2013 to 2018, and was re-elected in GE15 in 2022, acknowledged that defending the seat on his own would be a tough fight.
“But if your objective is continuous political change, then winning is not necessarily the objective. It’s about the long-term. I want to make sure that progressive multiracial politics survive.”
Rafizi was also asked in the interview if he would consider teaming up with another political outcast, Khairy Jamaluddin who was sacked from Umno in January 2023.
Rafizi said he and Khairy would like disagree as they had different objectives and views on politics.
“If you put us in the same room, we will disagree. Khairy is very much an establishment figure…I think he believes you can make a difference if you are government, if you are prime minister, then you can make changes
“But if you follow my career, I don’t necessarily subscribe to that. I think my contribution to society is pushing for changes to enlighten society towards a certain direction that is better for the country, no matter how incremental it is.
“I think I can also play a very effective role outside govt, even as a social activist
So my objective and his objective and style very different,” Rafizi said. – February 23, 2026
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