Social media abuzz over lunch meeting of trio
PETALING JAYA: Rafizi Ramli has dismissed speculations that he, Nurul Izzah Anwar and Khairy Jamaluddin are forming a new political party, The Star reported.
After the three politicians shared photos of themselves having lunch together on two separate occasions, there have been talks that they might be up to something.
On Wednesday (Dec 19), a Malay portal reported that the trio might be in talks about forming a new party following news that Nurul Izzah had resigned as PKR vice-president, while Rembau MP Khairy is widely known to be disgruntled with what's happening in Umno.
Responding to the report, Rafizi squashed the speculations on Twitter.
"There was no discussion of party-hopping or forming a new party," he said.
"KJ (Khairy Jamaluddin) was teaching me how to use Instagram filters. Izzah was giving children's school tips. I was giving tips on how to become fat," Rafizi joked.
Rafizi, Nurul Izzah and Khairy had been seen interacting with each other jokingly on Twitter lately.
Former PKR vice-president Rafizi first shared a photo of three of them together on Twitter on Dec 10, prompting Khairy to joke that he needed to teach Rafizi how to use the photo filter function.
The photos showing Nurul Izzah, the 38-year-old daughter of Malaysia's prime minister-in-waiting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, having lunch with political rival and former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin is setting the country's social media abuzz.
Nurul Izzah caused shock waves on Malaysia's political scene earlier this week when she abruptly announced she was resigning as PKR's senior vicepresident.
The three-term MP from Permatang Pauh in Penang has not said why she was resigning, but she was seen visibly distraught at a party convention in November after a fractious internal election.
The election saw Rafizi, who is widely known to have the support of Nurul Izzah and Anwar, being edged out by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali for the post of PKR deputy president.
After her shock resignation on Monday, Nurul Izzah had thanked both Rafizi and Khairy for their show of support. She also said she maintained that Rafizi was the best candidate for the party's deputy chief.
"Thank you, YB Khairy Jamaluddin. You have been an inspiration from across the bench since 2008. Can't imagine Malaysia without your towering political footprint."
"Rooting for you, albeit as a mere MP now - but rooting nonetheless," she said.
Khairy said it would be a terrible waste if she did not return to front-line politics.
"I am sure once the country is finally ready for a generational change in politics, @n_izzah will be back," he wrote.