Rafizi - new voice of reason or thorn in Anwar’s side?

The former PKR deputy president has become a newsmaker as he stirs public awareness on the need to defend the independence of the judiciary.

HOW many Pakatan Harapan politicians will join the lawyers in their “Walk for Judicial Independence” this Monday?

Politicians from Pakatan were quite visible in the last “Walk for Justice” in 2007, but it is unlikely that many of them will participate given their awkward silence about concerns arising from the judicial appointments issue.

Former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, for one, has indicated that he will not join the walk despite his vocal role on the issue.

With or without the support of politicians, the legal fraternity is out to make a powerful statement about how they feel about the future of the judiciary.

The concerns of lawyers have often been on the practical side such as delays in cases because of unfilled vacancies on the bench but the temperature went up after the alleged leak of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting and in the wake of speculation about who will be the next Chief Justice.

As a result, the lawyers plan to walk from the Palace of Justice to the Prime Minister’s Office on July 14 while the Bar Council called for an Extraordinary General Meeting on July 26.

However, it was Rafizi who almost stole the show and put everything into perspective during a press conference last Monday.

“Issues to do with the judiciary often come across as rather removed from the cares of ordinary people or what some call an ‘atas’ or elitist issue. Rafizi brought the conversation to a level that ordinary people could understand. He put the issue into context and made it relatable,” said an aide to a former minister.

Rafizi raised the stakes by calling for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) and for the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on institutional reforms to look into the allegations of judicial interference.

It was a rather bold press conference where he spelt out what had previously been discussed in whispers, such as allegations that the JAC’s recommendation for the posts of Chief Justice and Court of Appeal president had been ignored.

He also urged that key judicial vacancies be filled based on the JAC’s recommendation.

He likened the dust kicked up over the judiciary to the V.K. Lingam scandal in 2002, better known as “correct, correct, correct” episode, when a secretly-recorded video revealed an attempt to influence the judiciary.

To his admirers, this is the Rafizi that had won them over from way back.

Those who dislike him, especially the Umno crowd, rolled their eyes and concluded that he was back to doing what he does best - stirring up trouble. Those in Umno have not forgiven him for the damage he inflicted on the party and some of them scoffed at his call for an RCI.

And for his PKR colleagues, this was exactly what they had feared when they threw him out over Nurul Izzah Anwar as their deputy president. He has become a thorn in their side and he is driving the momentum in a way that Nurul Izzah is unable to.

“I don’t understand why the PKR people made an enemy of Rafizi. Don’t they know about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer?” said the above aide to a former minister.

Rafizi did say on his final day as Economy Minister that he could speak freely now that the shackles were off.

He also has the support of nine MPs from PKR, six of whom were by his side during his encounter with the media.

And as some pointed out, it was only after Rafizi spoke up on the judiciary issue that Perikatan Nasional leaders felt compelled to join the fray. This was followed by DAP Youth and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

More importantly, the Attorney General’s Chambers as well as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said responded by rebutting some of what Rafizi had said and downplayed perceptions of a judicial crisis.

One might say that Rafizi shattered the silence on the part of the government.

Silence is not golden when it comes to an issue as important as judicial independence and integrity. Silence creates a vacuum which is often filled by speculation, conspiracy theories and fake news.

The palace finally stepped in and urged against politicising the judicial appointments while stressing that the monarch will act in line with the Federal Constitution.

The palace statement went on to say that the selection process of judges is governed by the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009 and that the power to advise the King ultimately rests with the Prime Minister.

There have been calls from a number of PKR leaders for disciplinary action against Rafizi even though he is speaking up on an issue that Pakatan politicians would have rolled on the streets for in the good old days.

Rafizi is no stranger to controversies, he is aware he may step on a landmine but he has been careful not to be perceived as going against the party.

He declined to join the Perikatan-led rally against Anwar on July 26. He is not that silly as to join a rally that is aimed at asking Anwar to step down as the prime minister.

He has been quite strategic in his criticism, saying that he is not doing this to embarrass the government but to protect the government and to defend the integrity of the judiciary.

However, he does make the Pakatan firebrands now sitting in cushy offices in Putrajaya look like lame ducks.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has so much on his plate. This has been both a fruitful yet troubled year for him.

He is a natural on the global stage. He has established an international standing among world leaders and in leading Malaysia’s chairmanship of Asean.

But his economic policies have hit the people where it hurts and social media is drowning in critical comments about the government. A great deal of the disappointment has to do with the fact that Pakatan is doing the opposite of what they had promised before coming to power.

The judicial appointments are unlikely to destabilise his government but it will give his enemies an additional bullet to aim at him if it is not resolved soon.

He needs to tread carefully and make the right decision.

> The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own