SEREMBAN: Incumbent Ampangan assemblyman Datuk Dr Mohamad Rafie Ab Malek will be sacked from PKR, says Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.
The caretaker Negri Sembilan mentri besar, who is also a party vice-president, said his sacking will be automatic after Mohamad Rafie filed his nomination papers to defend the seat as an independent.
Mohamad Rafie, who was also former state investment, industrialisation, education and entrepreneurship committee chairman, was not picked by the party to defend the seat.
Aminuddin, who will be vying for the Sikamat seat for a fourth term, said it was, however, Mohamad Raife's right to contest as an independent.
"We had already heard talk of him contesting as an independent on Friday (July 28) evening.
"Well, it is his right as this is democracy," he said, adding that in politics, it was normal for members not picked to contest to do so on a different platform.
Aminuddin said action will also be taken against PKR members who supported Mohamad Rafie.
He said despite Mohamad Rafie's move, he remained optimistic that the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional coalition would be able to defend the seat.
Asked if he had been in contact with Mohamad Rafie, Aminuddin said they both had not been in touch with one another.
"He didn't contact me and I didn't call him.
"We will leave it to the voters to decide who they want," he said, adding that the decision not to field Mohamad Rafie was made by the party leadership and should be respected.
Mohamad Rafie, when met after filing his papers, said party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had asked him to support the party's candidate for Ampangan as Aminuddin had not supported his candidacy.
"I told him that he was the party president and also the Prime Minister.
"He need not listen to Aminuddin and Rafizi Ramli (Economic Affairs Minister) who have been playing politics to bring me down," he said, adding that Rafizi had failed as minister himself while Aminuddin's integrity was questionable.
Mohamad Rafie, who claimed to be a founding member of the party, said he was also able to serve the people as an independent as he was not a "Yang Berhormat" but a "Yang Bekerja".
"There has to be a new narrative. I don't see why we need to be a member of a political party which is controlled by a few and who play politics by removing whoever they want," he said.
Mohamad Rafie said he decided to contest following calls from his constituents.
"I may now be in a small boat facing rough seas but I will soldier on for the people," he said.
