Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has resigned as economy minister following his defeat at the PKR party polls, keeping to his pledge to do so.
Rafizi, who is also the Member of Parliament for Pandan, lost to Nurul Izzah Anwar — the eldest daughter of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim — in a closely watched contest for PKR’s deputy presidency last Friday.
The resignation letter has been submitted to Anwar and will take effect on June 17.
“Starting today, I will be taking the remainder of my annual leave until June 16,” Rafizi said in a statement just over one page long on Wednesday.
Rafizi said his final task as minister was completing the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), which is now ready and will be presented in the next parliamentary session.
He said the 13MP was developed to emphasise more comprehensive education reforms, including several structural changes involving the Ministry of Education.
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“I hope the Cabinet will retain these bold reforms in the Ministry of Education under the 13MP, even though I will no longer be part of the Cabinet,” he said.
In explaining his resignation, Rafizi said he entered politics to promote a new political culture based on accountability and the people's mandate.
“My recent loss at the PKR party election means I no longer have the mandate from my party to translate the people’s agenda championed by PKR into government programmes.
“As practised in countries that uphold democratic principles, party leaders who lose internal elections should make way for those who have won to take their place in government,” he added.
Rafizi expressed his heartfelt thanks to the leadership and staff of the Ministry of Economy who gave him their full support throughout his time there.
“I have personally witnessed the competence and capability of most of the civil servants here, who are able to formulate policies followed by effective programme frameworks,” he said, adding that he is confident that the ministry’s initiatives will continue successfully.
“Our journey to reform the national economic structure into a more resilient one and to achieve high-income nation status is still far from over. Thus, we must continue making sound, long-term decisions — no matter how difficult or challenging — for the sake of future generations,” Rafizi said.
This story was first published in The Edge Malaysia.
