Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has claimed that efforts to position Nurul Izzah Anwar as Selangor menteri besar had been set in motion as early as last year.
He said the move allegedly involved a political restructuring within PKR and the Selangor government, with several key party and government figures in the picture.
According to information he received, the plan was said to include Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz joining PKR, as well as vacating one parliamentary seat and one state seat to pave the way for both Tengku Zafrul and Nurul Izzah.
“I have been hearing about Nurul Izzah becoming menteri besar from within the party since 2024,” he said in the latest episode of his podcast “Yang Berhenti Menteri” (YBM).
Rafizi claimed that Tengku Zafrul was supposed to join PKR in 2024, with the announcement to be made by party president Anwar Ibrahim during the party congress that year.
However, he said the plan was derailed after news of it leaked early, triggering dissatisfaction among Umno leaders.
“The news came out early, and some claimed it was their own group that leaked it. Once Umno found out, they were angry. So the announcement at the congress did not happen,” he said.
Rafizi further alleged that under the plan, one state seat and one parliamentary seat — “possibly Ampang” — would be vacated, with Nurul Izzah to move into the menteri besar’s post and Tengku Zafrul, whose Senate term ends this December, to be fielded as an MP.
“I don’t understand how they thought they could ask Rodziah to vacate her Ampang seat. She can just watch; you’re not going to be able to force her,” he said, adding that the arrangement also involved bringing Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari to the federal level.
“That was supposed to happen. Why Nurul Izzah, Tengku Zafrul and Amirudin? Because Tengku Zafrul could help smooth the way for Nurul Izzah to become menteri besar.
“By then, Amirudin was supposed to have moved to the federal level,” he said.
On Nov 21, Amirudin acknowledged on the “Keluar Sekejap” podcast that he had proposed Nurul Izzah as his successor in Selangor, saying he was ready to assume a federal role.
“To be honest, I have conveyed it to Izzah herself. It’s up to her whether she wants to take up the suggestion,” he said at the time.
However, Anwar later said this was merely Amirudin’s personal view and that there had been no discussion between them on the matter.
Rafizi said the plan eventually fell apart following resistance from Umno and a series of developments affecting PKR from 2024 onwards.
“Most likely, they did not take other factors into account.
“For example, they did not factor in Umno’s opposition… then in February and March 2025 came the PKR party elections.
“With everything that happened during the party polls, things turned out the way they did. Tengku Zafrul missed his window and his term as senator expired,” he claimed.
