Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has acknowledged the resignations of Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad as acts rooted in integrity, following their respective losses in the recent PKR party elections. According to Zahid, both outgoing ministers upheld their promise to step down if defeated, a gesture he described as principled and deserving of recognition.
Rafizi, who served as the Minister of Economy, and Nik Nazmi, who led the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, announced their resignations on Wednesday. Rafizi’s departure will take effect on June 17, while Nik Nazmi is set to leave office on July 4. Their decisions came shortly after Rafizi was unseated as PKR Deputy President by Nurul Izzah Anwar, and Nik Nazmi failed to secure a Vice President post.
Zahid noted that both leaders had consistently supported Cabinet decisions and contributed meaningfully to government policy during their tenure. He stressed that although internal party matters were not for others to interfere in, the Cabinet respected the pair's stance and viewed their exit as a matter of personal and political conviction.
The Deputy Prime Minister also pointed out that political leadership is inherently dynamic, and Cabinet positions are subject to change. As such, he reiterated that the responsibility to appoint new ministers now lies with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who would determine suitable successors from within PKR.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) later confirmed that it had officially received resignation letters from both Rafizi and Nik Nazmi. Their applications for leave had been approved, while further announcements on their formal resignations are expected soon.
While their exit marks a shift in the current Cabinet landscape, their adherence to previously stated principles has drawn praise from across the political divide. The move is seen by observers as a rare example of political accountability in the Malaysian context, especially at a time when public trust in leadership often hinges on consistency between words and actions.
Previously, Zahid had indicated that if a Cabinet vacancy were to arise and we were offered a seat, we would accept it with open arms. “That (the possible vacant position) is their (PKR's) right. we cannot interfere and we know the limits to our requests. But, if the post is given to Umno, we will accept it with open arms.”
As the government prepares to fill the void left by the two ministers, attention now turns to how the Prime Minister will recalibrate his Cabinet and whether the incoming appointments will maintain the same standards of commitment and integrity.
FlyingBird is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact creator@newswav.com.