Rafizi, who is gunning for the deputy presidency in the party polls, said this was to prevent the party from becoming “cancerous”.

“Parti Keadilan debates and informs members directly on all matters. If you don’t talk, members will not know the real story.

“Even in the election process, all its 900,000 members will vote. There are victories and defeats, but there is no offshoot party because everyone will continue to help strengthen the party after that,” he said at the 20 Years of Reform# event at Felda Residence here last night.

Also present was Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Fuziah Salleh, who is vying for the post of PKR Wanita chief.

Rafizi said the culture in the party was different from other parties such as Umno and PAS where they did not dare to criticise openly.

And this, he said, was why PKR had remained strong throughout the years.

Such a principle, therefore, should be maintained if PKR did not want to meet the same fate as PAS and Umno, which saw the creation of two splinter parties, Amanah and PPBM respectively.

Rafizi will be facing incumbent Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is also the economic affairs minister and Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman at the party election that will be held for nine weeks from this month.