While Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim accuses PKR of smearing Malaysia’s reputation abroad, the party’s vice-president Rafizi Ramli countered that it is BN’s own actions that have brought shame to the country.

Rafizi said the issues he discussed in his meetings in Australia included the government’s use of race and religion to maintain power, the use of the Sedition Act to persecute dissidents, and press alleged false charges against PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.