Economy Minister and ally resign from Cabinet leaving Malaysia s economic reforms in the air

KUALA LUMPUR – Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli resigned from Cabinet on May 28, as promised, after suffering defeat at the hands of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s daughter at the ruling party’s polls on May 23.

His departure, to take effect on June 17, will leave a gap at a time when Malaysia’s economic reforms are stalling due to global headwinds.

Datuk Seri Rafizi’s ally, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, also announced his exit from Cabinet effective July 4, confirming a report by The Straits Times.

He cited his failure to defend his position as one of four vice-presidents for stepping down. Mr Rafizi and Mr Nik Nazmi will be on leave immediately.

In the campaign leading up to Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) internal elections, Mr Rafizi had said that he would leave Cabinet should he fail to defend the deputy presidency. Ms Nurul Izzah Anwar took close to three quarters of the vote.

Most of those in Mr Rafizi’s slate were also defeated in the polls, which were marred by accusations of nepotism, money politics and fraud.

“I joined politics to inculcate a new political culture based on accountability and the people’s mandate. My loss at the recent PKR elections means I no longer have the mandate from my party to translate the people’s agenda,” he said in a statement on May 28.

Mr Rafizi noted that the practice in any nation that places importance on democratic principles is for leaders who lose in party polls to make way for the winners to take positions in government.

Ms Nurul, in addressing allegations of nepotism when announcing her candidacy for the PKR’s No. 2 spot on May 9, had said: “I am not interested in a Cabinet position.”

The 44-year-old former parliamentarian said in