Salam Reformasi and a Happy 20th Birthday to Parti Keadilan Rakyat!

April 4, 2019

The party started in 1998 with the arrest of Anwar, the black eye incident and the call of Reformasi. Back then the corporate world was crumbling from the 1997 financial crisis. I was negotiating a distressed deal in a law firm near Padang Merdeka when the police attacked the crowd. We stopped work and witnessed protestors being chased down the road by the FRU.

10 years later, I joined PKR as a corporate advisor. The first task given to me was to plan a road map to unlock lopsided concession deals. I was then assigned to help Zaid Ibrahim, who was then Pakatan Rakyat protem chairman. After Zaid left, I was redeployed to work on public policies, and manage the Investment and Trade Bureau. That was when I got to know Rafizi Ramli. I worked with Raf on the Pakatan alternative budgets for four years from 2011 to 2014. I took over the budget and policy writing from Raf from 2015 to 2018. I also served Kak Wan as an economic and policy advisor when Anwar was incarcerated.

It has been a real journey, two terms as an MP, the never ending myriad of challenges, and even now, the struggle for real reforms in the New Malaysia. I want to acknowledge all those who stayed the long haul, who came and went, and those who recently joined to make PKR what it is, a dynamic, noisy (differing opinions allowed) and democratic multi racial party. It has been a deep honour to serve along with my PKR colleagues for the Rakyat.

Happy Birthday PKR, may we continue to deliver the reforms for a better Malaysia.