In 2009, he became the General Manager of the healthcare company Pharmaniaga, before being appointed as the Chief Executive of the Selangor Economic Advisory Office, a position he held until July 2012.

PKR selected him to contest the seat of Pandan, which was held by former Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president Ong Tee Keat.

[9] Rafizi did not contest the 2018 general election as his eligibility to stand as a candidate was put in doubt due to his pending appeal against a 30-month jail sentence for leaking banking details belonging to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) and its chairman.

[13] In 2014, Rafizi engineered the failed Kajang Move, which sought to oust Khalid Ibrahim, a PKR member, as Menteri Besar of Selangor and install Anwar as his replacement.

The move encountered a number of obstacles; it ultimately succeeded in forcing Khalid's resignation, but Azmin Ali, PKR's then-Deputy President, replaced him instead.

[14] In October 2014, after the Kajang Move reached its conclusion, Rafizi was appointed as Secretary-General of PKR, replacing Saifuddin Nasution Ismail as the leading administrative officer of the party.

Among his infamous revelation for BN's wrongdoings was the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal which involved the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

[27][28][29] Rafizi was not able to run for reelection in 2018 because he was appealing a 30-month jail sentence from the Shah Alam sessions court for leaking banking details about the National Feedlot Corp and its chairman Salleh Ismail.

He noted that the future of progressive, multiracial politics would be in danger if PKR and PH carry on to be only the “third power” which fails to attract undecided voters.

[31] On the night of 29 May 2022, Saifuddin conceded defeat and congratulated Rafizi on his landslide victory against him in the contest for PKR deputy presidency in the elections although the results were still unofficial.

[34][35] Rafizi allegedly disclosed the documents to media consultant Yusuf Abdul Alim and The Star reporter Erle Martin Carvalho, at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya on 7 March 2012.

[39][40] On 7 February 2018, Rafizi was sentenced by a Sessions Court in Shah Alam to 30 months in jail for exposing confidential banking details relating to the NFC scandal.

[44] In August 2017, a Malaysian High Court in Kuala Lumpur upheld an 18-month jail sentence against him for having page 98 of the 1MDB audit report without approval, in violation of the Official Secrets Act 1972.

Mohd Yazid, in his ruling, said exhibit P4 and attachments A to D were photostatted documents that failed to meet requirements under Section 65(1)(c) of the Evidence Act 1950, and therefore inadmissible.