KUALA LUMPUR: Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli has defended Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for holding the Finance portfolio under his administration.
This after several Perikatan Nasional MPs slammed Rafizi for allegedly going against his previous stand that a prime minister should not be holding the finance portfolio, and to the extent of filing a private member's bill to oppose such a move.
Rafizi however said that good governance was not just whether the prime minister was holding the finance portfolio, but there was actually a whole system that needed to be looked at.
"What needs to be looked at is what are the steps that have been taken which shows the leanings of the prime minister," Rafizi said in his winding up speech for his ministry on the Budget 2023 debates in Parliament on Wednesday (March 8).
Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (PN-Putrajaya) and Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok) pointed out that Rafizi had used to criticise such a practice, especially during former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration.
Rafizi said it was different under Anwar, as there was no interference with enforcement bodies, which was already different from Najib’s tenure as prime minister.
"That is more important," he said.
He also pointed out that the prime minister had cancelled all projects awarded under direct negotiation and re-tendered them for open tender.
"Of course, I know there will be that concern, but I am confident that the MPs, the members of the administration from this mixed government that has different parties and the rakyat will continue to monitor every move Anwar makes," Rafizi said.
He also urged the Opposition to apologise to Anwar for making such accusations.
