KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil today said Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli’s claim that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim no longer had confidence in him as economy minister was merely a personal opinion.
Rafizi made the claim during a recent episode of his podcast, suggesting that Anwar’s backing of Nurul Izzah’s bid to challenge him for the PKR deputy presidency signalled he was no longer wanted in the Cabinet.
“That is just his personal opinion,” Fahmi told reporters here when asked to confirm the allegation.
Rafizi resigned from the post in late May, citing his defeat to Nurul Izzah in the PKR’s deputy presidential race — a move that triggered talk of cracks within the Anwar administration.
Nurul Izzah is Anwar’s eldest child.
Anwar was said to have rejected his resignation initially, with the hope that he could convince him to stay.
Shortly after, Rafizi responded that he would not change his mind.
In the first episode of his own podcast, Yang Berhenti Menteri, the Pandan MP said remaining in Anwar’s Cabinet would make him a “lame duck” minister.
“To reform the economy is precisely why (having the) mandate is very important... it translates to the progress of reforms. If you lose the mandate (as deputy president), then that means that people have rejected your views and ideas,” he said.
“Even if I had stayed, it would not have been smooth sailing for (the ministry as) the perception is that I no longer have the prime minister’s endorsement,” the Pandan MP added.
