Analysts say leadership challenges in Malaysian parties are usually power struggles, not genuine reform, with PKR’s Rafizi case highlighting complex internal dynamics.
PETALING JAYA: Leadership challenges within political parties are seldom genuine reform efforts, but rather manifestations of power struggles, according to political analysts.
Pacific Research Centre of Malaysia principal adviser Dr Oh Ei Sun said there is no such political creature as reform purely for the good of voters.
“There are only well-disguised power struggles among ambitious political figures,” Oh told theSun via WhatsApp.
Commenting on dissent led by figures such as former Economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli within PKR, Oh said the Pandan MP has been effective in cultivating a reformist image among the public.
“For better or for worse, he has successfully portrayed a reformist image to the public at large.”
However, Oh said that such positioning may not necessarily resonate with party insiders who have already tasted power and may be more inclined to consolidate their own influence.
“Whether that appeals to those within the party who wish to accrue benefits and strengthen their positions is another matter.
He maintained that leadership challenges framed as accountability efforts often mask deeper contests over control of party hierarchy and electoral positioning ahead of elections.
Meanwhile, Asia Group Advisers associate director Kamles Kumar said leadership challenges within Malaysian political parties reflect a transitional phase in party development, as governing responsibilities increasingly collide with electoral competition.
“Leadership challenges today signal a transitional phase. As parties balance governing responsibilities with electoral competition, tolerance for internal dissent narrows.”
While purges and disciplinary action may stabilise leadership in the short term, Kamles cautioned that they often come at the expense of renewal and cohesion.
“They can consolidate authority temporarily, but at the cost of internal renewal and long-term unity.”
Commenting on developments in PKR, particularly when figures such as Rafizi lead dissenting quarters, Kamles described the situation as more complex.
“PKR presents a more layered case. When Rafizi leads dissent, it can genuinely reflect internal democratic pressure for accountability, especially given PKR’s reformist origins.”
At the same time, he said that factional dynamics remain central.
“Rafizi’s faction firmly believes that the current PKR leadership, including the president, has swayed away from the party’s original ideals. That belief shapes both the internal contestation and the broader narrative ahead of elections.”
On the other hand, Universiti Malaya Department of Political Science, Public Administration and Development Studies senior lecturer Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub said that the breakdown in understanding between Rafizi and party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim led to the current predicament.
He said the current political dynamics place Rafizi at a structural disadvantage, particularly as Anwar is not only the PKR president but also the prime minister.
“At this point, there is clearly no longer a mutual understanding between Rafizi and the president. The president is not only party leader but also prime minister, which strengthens the politics of patronage. Anyone going against that tide will find it difficult to remain influential within the party.”
Tawfik said that any attempt by Rafizi to mobilise support or generate momentum within PKR to rearrange the party hierarchy would face significant structural constraints.
“Efforts to mobilise or create a wave within PKR to climb back into the leadership structure are largely futile because he is going against a major current. It becomes even more challenging when he holds no position in the party or the government. The larger factions are unlikely to heed his voice.”
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Rafizi may still exert limited influence.
On the question of political maturity within Malaysian parties, Tawfik said the country still has some distance to cover.
“Openly criticising party leadership, especially the president, remains at odds with prevailing Malay and Malaysian political norms. We may need another 10 to 15 years to see full political maturity in accommodating such internal dissent.”
However, he observed that PKR’s handling of the situation signals a comparatively higher degree of openness.
“Despite the criticisms, PKR and its president have not retaliated or expelled Rafizi, unlike what has occurred in other parties. This suggests a greater level of openness and maturity in managing internal crises compared with other political parties in Malaysia.”
Rafizi has been more vocal against Anwar leadership ever since losing the PKR deputy presidency last year to Nurul Izzah Anwar in party polls.
He had also recently openly urged Anwar to sack him from PKR if the party leadership could no longer tolerate his criticism.
