PUTRAJAYA: It is like “deja vu”, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad as he described his feelings when delivering his first address after his return to the Health Ministry.
The Health Minister said he never “prayed to return” to the ministry.
“This is in all honesty, maybe many will not believe me,” he said.
However, he said it was God’s will and fate that he had returned, adding that he had told former health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa that he did not want the position and that he was ready to render help to her in any possible way.
Dr Dzulkefly thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for having confidence in him and giving him the mandate. He also revealed that the premier had wanted him to complete his “unfinished business”.
He added that he will continue Dr Zaliha’s good work such as the Madani Health Scheme, just like how she had continued the Peka B40 scheme which was established during his previous tenure as the minister in charge.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank former minister Dr Zaliha for her service and leadership, which I think she has done really well,” he said.
He also defended ministers against criticism on social media, saying that as first-term lawmakers, they had to undergo a steep learning curve helming senior ministries such as health and education.
"Their performance must be judged based on the big responsibilities they have to shoulder. I am not giving any excuses, that is not what I meant. But we must be fair in giving assessments, comments and criticism,” he said.
Dr Dzulkefly served as the health minister in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Pakatan Harapan Cabinet from 2018 to 2020.
In the unity government’s first Cabinet reshuffle on Dec 12, the Kuala Selangor MP was named as Health Minister while Dr Zaliha was appointed as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories).
