Rafizi bids farewell to team that left promising careers to serve his vision

Summary

• Economy minister uses his final days in office to recognise five professionals he persuaded to leave their established careers to join his ministry, and help develop economic policies.

• Rafizi resigned as minister after losing his PKR deputy president position to Nurul Izzah Anwar in PKR’s election last month.

With days left as economy minister, Rafizi Ramli today paid tribute to his policy officers who sacrificed promising careers to help turn his economic ideas into reality.

Taking to his Facebook today, the Pandan MP and former PKR deputy president said that these were people whom he had convinced to leave their previous careers and join his office.

According to Rafizi, these officers had played a crucial role in converting his concepts into workable policies across a broad spectrum of areas.

They covered agricultural products like chillies, high-tech sectors such as semiconductors, encompassing the start-up ecosystem, the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ), the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), progressive wage policies, and the 13th Malaysia Plan.

“I went into the office for the last time yesterday evening and today (Friday) for final matters, including clearing out the office.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce several people who have greatly assisted me in pursuing economic initiatives under the Economy Ministry.

“Now they will return to their respective fields,” Rafizi said.

Rafizi thanked Dr Azraai Bahari Nasruddin, a consultant endocrinologist; Benjamin Quek, a former fund manager; James Chai, a lawyer and author who was a top law student at University of London; Ismat Qayyum, an LSE graduate with banking experience; and Haqimi Zamri, who studied politics and international relations at University of Nottingham.

“I’ve learnt a great deal from them, perhaps more than they’ve learnt from me,” Rafizi said.

Mum over future plans

Rafizi, who resigned as economy minister after failing to defend his party position in the PKR polls, remains tight-lipped about his future plans. He previously promised to reveal more after Hari Raya Haji.

His official last day in office is June 17, and he is on annual leave until June 16.

In the PKR election last month, Rafizi was unseated by Nurul Izzah, the daughter of Prime Minister and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, prompting allegations of nepotism.

Anwar denied the claims, asserting that Nurul Izzah was elected by party members through a democratic process.

Rafizi eventually fulfilled his promise to resign as the economy minister, followed by Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who resigned as the natural resources and environmental sustainability minister after failing to defend his division chief and vice-president’s post.

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