KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 — Maszlee Malik today said he does not have any ill feelings against Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, after leaving the position of Education Minister.

The Star reported the Simpang Renggam MP as saying he was not sacked from the post, nor did he resign, characterising it as due to fatherly advice from Dr Mahathir to ‘return’ the post and that the prime minister had the authority to take it back.

"He said that I had done a wonderful job in my 20 months as Education Minister. However, I admit that I am not a politician and never lobbied for a position in Dr Mahathir’s Cabinet,” he said during a meet-the-rakyat programme in his constituency earlier today.

Maszlee expressed his gratitude to the prime minister for enabling him to serve as a minister, and that he is happy to return the post to Dr Mahathir.

Adding that he is aware of the online petition pleading for his reinstatement as Education Minister, with over half a million signatures, Maszlee said he was touched by the gesture but that his main focus now was to serve Simpang Renggam and contribute to Johor’s education field.

"What happened to me is a blessing in disguise, since I am able to carry out my duty as Simpang Renggam MP,” he said, while encouraging the next ministerial replacement to continue improving the country’s education system.