The Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s Office has confirmed receiving the resignation letters of Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, formally paving the way for vacancies in the Pandan and Setiawangsa parliamentary seats.
An official from Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul’s office confirmed the notices were received following the duo’s earlier announcement that they had submitted their resignations with immediate effect.
In a joint statement, Rafizi and Nik Nazmi said vacating their seats was “the proper and honourable step” as they had originally been elected under the Pakatan Harapan banner.
“The proper and honourable step is to return the mandate to voters in Pandan and Setiawangsa, considering that we were elected under the Pakatan Harapan ticket in the last general election,” they said.
The pair also thanked constituents for electing them for two terms, adding that their service centres would continue operating as usual. Both confirmed they would contest the same seats again under Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) in the next election.
Their resignations came a day after the former PKR leaders announced they were leaving the party to take over Bersama, a small Penang-based political outfit founded in 2016. The transition was formalised during a symbolic handover ceremony involving party founder Tan Gin Theam.
Speaking during the launch of their new political movement, Rafizi described the move as a “kamikaze mission” and said Bersama would contest any parliamentary or state seat where incumbents had failed the rakyat, regardless of party affiliation.
“We don’t care if seats are held by PKR, DAP, Amanah, Bersatu, or Umno – if there is a need for us to fight, we will do so,” he said.
“There is no guarantee that we will succeed. I’m aware that some analysts are of the view that a new party is likely to lose its deposits.
“But what they don’t know is that we are crazy people and we don’t care – that’s why it’s a kamikaze.
“It’s okay if we lose our deposits and people laugh at us. I might retire as a ‘failed politician’ – it doesn’t bother me.”
Rafizi said Bersama aimed to introduce a “new political culture” by fielding younger and experienced candidates capable of offering a fundamentally different and progressive alternative.
Nik Nazmi echoed the sentiment, saying Malaysia needed “sincere, courageous, and authentic” multiracial leadership.
“I know this journey is not easy, but history is never made by those who wait for conditions to become easy – history is shaped by those who dare to start something when many others have stopped believing,” he said.
“Do not let politics be monopolised by those who want you to be disappointed.”
Rafizi also revealed that he and Nik Nazmi had spent the past year quietly planning the political venture, including attempting to register several “decoy” parties before deciding to take over an existing platform after concluding that applications for new parties were unlikely to be approved.
“We started this kamikaze project a year ago by registering a few new parties as ‘decoys’, so that those sitting in Putrajaya would laugh at us,” he said.
“In reality, we were looking at small parties in Malaysia… and holding discussions to see which held common intents as us.”
The political shake-up has intensified speculation over possible snap elections, with Reuters reporting that some lawmakers believe a general election could be called as early as July alongside several state polls. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also hinted he could consider an early election if tensions within the unity government continue.
The duo’s departure has additionally sparked debate over anti-party-hopping laws and PKR’s RM10 million election bond signed by candidates during the 2022 general election. PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Fuziah Salleh reportedly claimed the party possesses evidence suggesting Rafizi and Nik Nazmi had already joined Bersama before vacating their seats, potentially exposing them to legal action.
Rafizi, who resigned as economy minister last year after losing the PKR deputy presidency, is also currently being investigated by the MACC over a RM1.1 billion semiconductor deal involving UK-based Arm Holdings. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and previously challenged PKR to sack him after receiving two show-cause letters from the party.