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In a retort to Rafizi Ramli, his rival for the number two post, Saifuddin said there was no need to put party members on a guilt trip, by making them choose between going to war or negotiating with other parties.
Rafizi had recently said party members should vote for him as deputy president if they wanted a “fighter” or vote for Saifuddin if they wanted someone who would hold negotiations with others.
But Saifuddin maintained that he had also gone to war for PKR on multiple occasions throughout his 23 years in the party.
“I have entered the battlefield as someone who had taken the lead in the war. In 1999, I warred. In 2004, the leaders and I went to war. In 2008, we warred. We warred non-stop,” he said, referring to the general elections held then.
“I’m a Muslim. I follow the Prophet Muhammad. In the 23 years of the Prophet’s struggle, nine times he went to war, and he sent many negotiators too. There’s a time to go to war, there’s a time to negotiate.
“But for PKR, whether to negotiate or go to war is not ‘Saifuddin’s strategy’ or ‘Rafizi’s strategy’. It must be the strategy decided by PKR and its leadership,” he said at the launch of his election campaign theme #KitaSemuaKeadilan today.
Saifuddin, who is MP for Kulim Bandar Baharu, said the election strategy would be discussed by every wing and by the central leadership. The party’s national congress would also debate about this, if needed.
“But remember, it’s not the (deputy president) candidate who will decide. It must be the party. So there’s no need to be distressed,” he told party members.
Among those spotted at the event were Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil, Kapar MP Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid, PKR vice-president Tian Chua and former Machap Jaya assemblyman Ginie Lim.
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