Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad will reveal their new political direction at a public event today, Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the PJ Performing Arts Centre, One Utama E, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya. The event is scheduled from 2pm to 5pm [1, 2, 3].
Both politicians resigned from their ministerial posts last year. Rafizi stepped down effective June 17, 2025, while Nik Nazmi’s resignation took effect on July 4 [1, 2, 3]. Earlier, in May 2025, they both lost their leadership positions within the PKR party in internal elections [2, 3].
Rafizi called the upcoming announcement "quite extraordinary," saying, "If it were just a typical announcement, I would just do it on TikTok. If Nik and I have decided to hold a public event and invite the crowd, it means it is not an ordinary political announcement. It is quite extraordinary" [2]. He added the past year gave them time to consider "various views, considerations and factors in deciding our next political direction" [1]. Nik Nazmi echoed this, inviting Malaysians from all backgrounds to attend and "strengthen the progressive political movement" [3].
PKR party secretary-general Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said the party will wait to see the announcements before deciding whether to take any action against them. She said, "We'll wait and see" [4]. Several PKR state leaders had called for action following Rafizi’s criticisms of the party and government [4].
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Rafizi and Nik Nazmi are free to chart their political paths and that their announcement is not an act of sabotage. He stated, "Rafizi and his friends are free to make any announcement because this country is a democracy. We guarantee freedom of association and freedom of assembly. But if the date of Rafizi's announcement clashes with the PH Convention 2026, I do not see it as an attempt to sabotage or anything like that" [5]. The PH Convention 2026 is set to proceed as planned on the same day [5].
