'I'm indebted to them', Rafizi bids farewell to civil servants

Summary

• Rafizi Ramli bids farewell and expresses gratitude to the civil servants on his last day of leave.

• The outgoing economy minister credits them for their guidance and support during his tenure and expresses confidence in Malaysia’s future based on the dedication of the public service.

On his last day of leave, outgoing Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli paid tribute to civil servants across multiple ministries and agencies.

He expressed deep appreciation for their support during his tenure and credited them for his learning and growth in government.

In a statement posted on social media, Rafizi acknowledged the wide-ranging role of the Economy Ministry, describing it as a central agency involved in macro planning across all sectors, including agriculture, education, health and national unity.

This meant that the ministry's head needed to have working knowledge of nearly every sector, which he said was challenging even for seasoned politicians.

He admitted that he leaned heavily on civil servants to fulfil his duties effectively.

"I am indebted to all these civil servants. I learned a lot from them in carrying out my duties, more than they learned from me.

“Someone who has just become a leader in a large organisation with a broad scope must ask many questions to learn.

"If civil servants are stingy with knowledge, or do not give correct answers, or are sloppy in giving comprehensive answers, then the minister will not develop the necessary skills in a short period," he said.

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

Tomorrow (June 17) will be his last day in office.

Thanking agencies

In his statement, he thanked several agencies, including the Statistics Department, the Malaysia Petroleum Resources Corporation, and the Bumiputera agenda agencies under his ministry.

He also acknowledged agencies' cooperation under other ministries, such as the National Digital Department, the National Wages Consultative Council, and the Social Security Organisation.

Despite leaving his ministerial role, Rafizi said he did not doubt the future of Malaysia’s governance.

"As I mentioned in my last speech last Friday, I am not worried about the government's ability to plan for the country's progress because its backbone consists of civil servants who love the country," he said.

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 party members elected Nurul Izzah through a democratic process.

Rafizi eventually fulfilled his promise to resign as the economy minister. He was 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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