Rafizi’s ceramah takes a dramatic twist

GEORGE TOWN: A ceramah by PKR’ strategic director Rafizi Ramli (on the GST, price hikes and the latest development on the Kajang by-election) here took a dramatic twist when he was mobbed by a group of NGOs.

They urged him to look into the plight of an elderly man whose home risks demolition.

Police who were present at the scene had to calm the NGO members down and Rafizi’s bodyguards were seen engaged in a heated verbal exchange.

Rafizi was accompanied by Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin and Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohd Rashid Hasnon.

A representative from one of the NGOs had tried to hand him a letter of appeal to stop a development project in Jalan Waterfalls here which would apparently displace an elderly man from his home.

The NGOs turned up towards the end of the ceramah (about 40 of them, some came on motorcycles) and gave a dramatic twist to the event when they insisted that Rafizi look into the demolition issue.

It is learnt that the house of elderly ustaz, Najib Darus, 62, faces demolition by the local municipal council this Feb 28 and the NGOs insisted that something be done about the matter if Rafizi was serious in helping the rakyat with his strategies.

In the 11pm incident, the group asked to meet and speak with Rafizi to look for solutions.

But Rafizi who appeared calm and unfazed asked for the letter to be handed to him and told the group to “go home and sleep”.

“You’ve handed me the letter, I will look into the matter now you all can go home and sleep,” Rafizi, who is also Pandan MP was heard saying.

This apparently sparked outrage among members of the group who challenged Rafizi to meet with them but the latter was unperturbed.

One of the members of the group was heard shouting, “kata nak mai jumpa rakyat tapi bila kami nak jumpa dia lari” (said he wanted to come meet the rakyat here but when he is approached, he runs away).

They were heard shouting for Rafizi to step down and resign and to “balik Kajang makan satay”

Rafizi was seen whisked away in a silver car minutes later escorted by the police.

The ceramah, which started at about 10pm near the Bukit Gedung night market here last night went on with Rafizi addressing the crowd of about 300 on the GST and price hike issues. He was also heard asking PKR supporters to lend support to PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim who will be contesting in the Kajang state by-election this March 23.

He also explained the reason behind the Kajang by-election dubbed “the Kajang Move” in his forty-minute speech. ( speech taken from his blog).

Earlier yesterday, Rafizi and several state PKR leaders led a peaceful and small rally outside Queensbay Mall, protesting against the price hike of goods.