Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has accused PAS of exploiting his call for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on judicial appointments.
Rafizi said the Islamic party’s flip-flopping on the issue within a single week demonstrated its insincerity about championing judicial independence.
“In the end, it is government backbenchers who are vocal about this issue because opposition lawmakers only want to topple the government so they can become ministers again.
“The issue of judicial independence is an issue which should be championed by all, regardless of their political affiliation,” Rafizi said in a video posted on Facebook.
Rafizi also warned that PAS risked looking silly if it was not careful about its position on the matter.
“It’s hard not to resort to political posturing when that’s your only strategy. But PAS should be careful – if they ride the wrong wave, they’ll just end up looking foolish,” he said.
On July 6, Rafizi and eight other PKR MPs called for the government to establish an RCI to investigate allegations of political interference in top judicial appointments.
Two days later, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the party would only support the proposal if Rafizi took part in Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) rally to protest against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, scheduled for July 26.
On July 9, PAS’s Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the party fully supported the establishment of an RCI on the issue. However, the following day, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the party would not support the proposal.
Takiyuddin, who is PN chief whip, said the opposition bloc had no intention of backing Rafizi’s proposal, given that the Pandan MP is still part of the government bench.
The former law minister also questioned the effectiveness of forming an RCI at this stage, noting that the process ultimately rests with the prime minister.
He said the RCI would be established on the advice of the prime minister to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and that PAS was calling for Anwar to step down.
