PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli says he has tendered his resignation as Economy Minister, effective June 17.
“I have submitted my resignation letter from the Cabinet to the Prime Minister. This resignation will take effect from June 17.
"Starting today, I will utilise my remaining annual leave until June 16,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (May 28).
Rafizi said he joined politics to cultivate a new political culture based on accountability and the people's mandate.
“My recent defeat in the PKR election means I no longer have the mandate from my party to translate the people's agenda, as envisioned by PKR, into government programmes.
“As practised in countries that prioritise democratic principles, leaders who lose in party elections must make way for those who have won to take their place in the government,” he added.
Rafizi also expressed his gratitude to the leadership and staff of the Economy Ministry for their support during his tenure.
“I have witnessed firsthand the efficiency and capability of the majority of the civil servants here, who are able to draft policies followed by effective programme frameworks.
“I am confident that the programmes to improve the country's economic structure, pioneered by the Economy Ministry, will continue to be successfully implemented by the civil servants.
“My final duty as the Economy Minister has been completed with the preparation of the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13), which has been finalised and is awaiting presentation in the next Parliamentary session,” he added.
On May 7, Rafizi said he would be ready to step down from his party and Cabinet posts if he lost the deputy president post in the PKR polls.
Rafizi said he would return to be a grassroots level leader and campaign intensively for the party.
Rafizi was defeated by Nurul Izzah Anwar for the PKR deputy president’s post in the party polls.
