Parting words: Tengku Zafrul responding to questions at the Dewan Rakyat. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: After serving almost six years as a senator and in two ministerial positions under different governments, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz made his final appearance on the executive bench of the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
His last act as the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister was to wrap up the committee-stage debate on the Supply Bill 2026.
After nearly an hour on ministry matters, Tengku Zafrul expressed his gratitude to lawmakers on both sides for their support over the past six years.
“If I may, I would like to thank everyone. This is my last speech in this Parliament,” he said.
“I want to thank those on this side (the ruling party) and that side (the Opposition), and the Speaker as well,” he said.
Tengku Zafrul’s term as senator ends today. He was first appointed as a senator under then prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who made him Finance Minister.
He took on his current portfolio under Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government.
On another note, Tengku Zafrul said Malaysia and China had discussed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) which Putrajaya had signed with the United States.
He said Anwar had held a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Kuala Lumpur a day after the agreement was signed on Oct 26.
Malaysia, he said, had also sent a team to China to provide further explanations on the ART.
It was recently reported that Beijing issued a direct rebuke to Malaysia and Cambodia over the new trade deals the two countries signed with the US.
Clauses in both agreements that require Malaysia and Cambodia to align with Washington on sensitive national security issues were the bone of contention.
However, Tengku Zafrul said Beijing now wants to sign a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia.
