INTERVIEW | Rafizi Ramli has faced many criticisms over his decision to leave politics in late 2018, shortly after he narrowly lost to Azmin Ali in the race to be PKR deputy president.

Critics said that the former Pandan MP, who was previously seen as one of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim’s closest advisers, had a tendency to withdraw when things did not go his way.

But Rafizi said that was an unfair evaluation of his decision to quit politics back then.

“That is really not fair because I had 14 cases. I was already sentenced to five years in prison. I didn’t withdraw,” he argued.

Speaking to Malaysiakini in an interview at his office in Sungai Besi recently, Rafizi explained that his decision to leave politics was because he felt he did not have a place in a Pakatan Harapan that so highly valued...