PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has declined to confirm the resignation of Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli as Minister of Economy, responding to media queries with a question of his own.
“Who told you (about Rafizi’s resignation)?” Anwar asked reporters before leaving the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) on Wednesday, following the closing ceremony of the ASEAN Auditors Conference 2025.
The Prime Minister’s cryptic response came minutes before Rafizi issued a statement today amid speculation triggered by his recent defeat in the PKR internal elections.
Rafizi, who is also MP for Pandan, had earlier expressed his readiness to step down from the Cabinet post should he lose the party’s deputy presidency.
Two weeks prior, Rafizi declared: “It is not impossible that when one door closes, another will open,” hinting at the possibility of resignation. His statement appeared to affirm his long-held commitment to political accountability.
Government spokesman Datuk Fahmi Fadzil confirmed today that the administration had not received any formal notice of Rafizi’s resignation at that time.
However, Rafizi has since announced that his resignation will take effect on 17 June. He cited accountability and respect for the public mandate as key reasons for his decision.
Rafizi was appointed Economy Minister on 3 December 2022 following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in Malaysia’s 15th General Election.
His decision to step down has drawn mixed responses. Former Minister of Communications and Multimedia Tan Sri Annuar Musa described the move as “expected,” claiming it reflected a lack of support within Rafizi’s own party.
“Just as predicted, Rafizi has resigned. He accepts the reality that his party rejected him,” Annuar posted on social media, adding, “When one door closes, another may open. Don’t keep knocking on closed doors; look for ones that are open.”
Meanwhile, Subang MP Wong Chen said Rafizi’s resignation came as no surprise and praised him for staying true to his word.
“I respect his decision. It is not a shock—he’s fulfilling his promise,” Wong told Sinar Harian on Wednesday.
Wong himself recently lost in PKR’s central leadership council elections but stated he accepted the outcome and remains committed to his political allies. - May 28, 2025
