Before Rafizi started Bersama, I swear to you that he was shining in my eyes.
He didn't always shine in my eyes - after he lost the PKR election and seemed to be sulking and gripping in the second half of 2025, he looked mostly like a sore loser in my eyes.
But after he came out of his "sore loser" phase , a series of things that he did - and the things his friends and opponents in PKR did - as well general changes in the country and the world - started making him look like a winner in my eyes.
How Rafizi spearheaded the corporate mafia scandal to the point that he brought down MACC chief Azam Baki is one thing that made him look like a winner in my eyes.
That PKR heavyweights Ramanan were forced to stop ignoring him and start to openly attack him, but fail in their attempt to bring him down, despite their advantageous position and his disadvantageous position, also made him shine in my eyes.
That people like Hassan Karim were openly defending him while Nurul Izzah seemed to be guilt stricken since defeating him in the PKR elections, also made him seem like it was he that was on the side that was good and right.
That around the time that Rafizi seemed like he was about to leave PKR and start his own party, Tamil Nadu movie start turned politician Vijay was also creating history in Tamil Nadu politics also favoured him in my mind. Vijay and Rafizi have many commonalities. They are from the same age group. Vijay was against a father and son duo while Rafizi was against a father and daughter duo. Both were also a third force fighting against a two party system.
That Vijay would emerge from his campaign victoriously, despite starting his political journey and party in just two years, made me believe that Rafizi could make an impact in a short time too.
That the Iran war commenced around the time also contributed in me believing that maybe it s time that more youthful leaders take charge in the world. Geriatrics like Trump and Anwar appeared to me like people who were going to destroy the world and the country, , because of their hubris and incompetence.
But since Nik Nazmi and him had taken over Parti Bersama Malaysia around one month ago, I must say that I find Rafizi to have lost a lot of oomph in my mind.
Him taking over Bersama was like the climax event in my mind - at that point, I honestly thought that Rafizi entrance into the political scene with a political vehicle of his own was going to bring an end to the reign of Anwar and PH.
But a week, as they say, is a long time in politics - a month is an eternity.
In the month since he took over Parti Bersama Malaysia, a lot of things have happened, which has cast aside Rafizi from popular imagination.
From the two state elections being called back to back to the worsening royal crisis in Negeri Sembilan to the spat between Umno and Dap to the crisis as well as rejuvenation of PN to the tension between locals and Rohingya refugees, issues after issues has cast away Rafizi and Bersama to the periphery of public attention.
Rafizi himself has not helped his case by saying things like he will be happy if Bersama doesn't lose its deposit in the coming state elections.
Saying things like that might comfort him when he confronts the prospect of a loss, but from the viewpoint of a voter, it makes Bersatu and him look like a loser.
Politics is at its core, about identity and winning.
People are excited about politics when they have a politician they can identify with and who they believe can lead them to a win.
Even if it is required that he explains Bersama's 12 point manifesto and refute allegation that he took paid million to buy Parti Bersama Malaysia from its founders or that he is taking money from Daim's widow, this are just the side stories - they are not the main thing that the public is expecting to hear from Rafizi
Also, saying that you would be happy if you don't lose your deposit makes it difficult for people to identify with you, because no one likes identifying with a loser , and because it also makes the public doubt as to whether you are singleminded in leading them to victory .
Rather than send that sort of signal, it would be better if Rafizi sends the signal he was sending previously, which is that he is indomitable - that he will fight even if they hurt his son and even if he is all alone - and he will never stop fighting until he has won and reformed Malaysia.
He should say to us what Churchill said when the Brits were facing the powerful German military :
"[...] we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender..."
This is the signal that he needs to send as he goes on a nationwide tour to regain his place in public attention, ignite the desire of Malaysians to join him, strike fear in the heart of his opponents and wet the spirit of his followers and well wishes with passion and energy.
Let's see how cookies shall crumble.
TheRealNehruism (nehru.sathiamoorthy@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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