Rafizi Ramli has suggested he may face Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz for the Pandan parliamentary seat in the next general election, citing the latter’s increasingly visible presence in the constituency.
Speaking on his podcast Yang Berhenti Menteri, aired last night, the Pandan MP reiterated his intention to defend the seat while pointing to Zafrul’s frequent ground engagements as a sign he has been earmarked to contest there.
“(Zafrul) is now intensively in Pandan. Every day he is Pandan. So, it is clear that he has been promised to contest the Pandan seat.
“Within PKR, it is said that he has been instructed to contest in Pandan. So, we will likely see more intensive reports such as this,” he said, referring to Zafrul’s social media posts showing visits and community outreach.
“All the best to him. Pandan voters will surely be happy. Please ask for lots of money.”
Zafrul has shared multiple updates online featuring engagements with residents of various backgrounds. In one instance, he spent the morning with volunteers at a vegetarian soup kitchen in Teratai before joining national badminton legend Lee Chong Wei and fans at a Thomas Cup watch party in Ampang Jaya.
Another post drew attention when he visited Al-Azim Mosque in Pandan, noting complaints about heat due to the lack of air conditioning. “God willing, I will try to help in this matter,” he wrote.
Zafrul, a former Selangor Umno treasurer, first entered politics as finance minister under the administrations of Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob from 2020 to 2022. He later lost the Kuala Selangor seat in GE15 to Dzulkefly Ahmad but was appointed senator and served as international trade and investment minister under Anwar Ibrahim before stepping down when his term ended. He subsequently joined PKR and became Anwar’s senior economic adviser.
Rafizi resigned as economy minister after failing to retain his deputy presidency in the 2025 PKR party election.
In the same podcast, Rafizi criticised Zafrul’s political moves, saying: “Zafrul is not the type to feel shame. If he were, he wouldn’t have jumped from Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional government to Umno.
“In Umno, he was elevated to become Selangor treasurer and fielded as a candidate (in the Kuala Selangor parliamentary seat in GE15). Anwar had even criticised him before the election.
“But suddenly, he joins PKR and becomes best friends with the PM.”