IPOH: PKR Deputy President Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli says that he will not launch the party's National Wanita and Youth Congress later this month.
Rafizi said he is at peace with his decision and party leaders can choose someone else to launch the congress.
"It's true that I've written to party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that I do not wish to accept the invitation to launch the congress.
I've only written to two people, Anwar and the secretary-general, so who leaked the letter, which is supposed to be a secret," said Rafizi
"They want peace, go ahead and choose whoever they want (to launch the congress) because I've made my decision not to go for it. Let Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari or Nurul Izzah Anwar launch it. No problem," he added.
Rafizi said this during the Jelajah HIRUK roadshow at Taman Cempaka on Sunday (May 18).
The roadshow is Rafizi's initiative to meet with grassroots across the country as the party polls draw closer.
There had been talks that Rafizi will not attend the congress, which will be held in Johor Baru on May 22.
PKR Youth chief Adam Adli confirmed on Sunday that he received a copy of Rafizi's letter to Anwar declining the invitation.
Rafizi's refusal to attend the event is said to be due to Sabah PKR not inviting him for its election machinery launch in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday (May 17).
The Economy Minister is set to defend his post against Nurul Izzah in the party polls on May 23.
Rafizi said there needs to be adab (practice) and hierarchy in a party that should be followed.
He said it is a tradition in the party for the deputy president to launch the Youth and Wanita's Congress and also to launch election machinery.
"Something as important as the Sabah state election should have been conducted by the deputy president, who is also the election director.
"We have already announced earlier we will have the HIRUK event in Sabah on Saturday (May 17) at 2.30pm, everyone knows about it," he said, adding that no one spoke about launching the election machinery then.
"Nurul Izzah at that time, according to information, was to go campaign in Sabah on May 19 but there were no meetings held at the political bureau or Central Leadership Council about it.
"And suddenly, a poster stated that Nurul Izzah and Amirudin will launch the election machinery on the same day," he added.
Rafizi said he has no issues with people wanting to shoulder responsibilities in the party but practices and hierarchy in the party should be respected.
"It's not just about me. Say, some day, Nurul Izzah becomes the deputy president and the same thing happens to her, it's also not right," he said.
"We need to maintain decorum and discipline in the party. If only because of this party election, we throw away our practices, please go ahead, I will not stop it," he added.
Among those present at the roadshow were Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, Subang MP Wong Chen, Gopeng MP Tan Kar Hing, Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan, Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail, former Penang exco member Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Hussain, and Perak executive council member Sandrea Ng.
