'Rafizi did not vacate his office', ex-ministry staff refutes Nurul Izzah

Summary

• A PKR member rebuts a claim that Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli vacated his office last month.

• This follows Nurul Izzah Anwar's statement last night claiming that Rafizi was prepared to resign from government over frustration with the PKR election outcome.

• Najib Bakar says Rafizi's office was only tidied up for a Hari Raya do on April 28.

A PKR central leadership council contender refuted Nurul Izzah Anwar's claim that Rafizi Ramli had vacated his office before going on leave last month.

"I can confirm that Rafizi’s office was never vacated when he went on leave recently," Najib Bakar said on Facebook.

At the time, Najib was the ministry's corporate communications unit chief. He had since resigned from the position to contest for a post in the PKR central leadership council.

Najib explained that the minister's office was only tidied up for a Hari Raya open house.

He also revealed that many police officers from the intelligence arm, Special Branch, visited the ministry on April 27 to check on information about Rafizi’s resignation.

"I do not know where they heard these rumours from, perhaps from some 'unnamed sources'.

"It was true that the minister's office was 'dikemaskan' (tidied up), but that was to prepare for a Raya do that the minister's office organised on April 28.

"I attach a photo from the 'jamuan' (feast). Hopefully, this can help sort out all the confusion," he said in another posting.

What letter?

The Facebook posts came hours after Nurul Izzah, who is challenging Rafizi for the PKR deputy president post, claimed the minister was considering resigning from the government.

Rafizi purportedly wanted to do so over disgruntlement with alleged discrepancies in the PKR division polls.

Nurul Izzah also claimed the party leadership was informed that Rafizi had prepared a resignation letter.

On this, Najib said no such letter was delivered to the prime minister.

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