EARLIER yesterday (Dec 2), netizens were left speechless over rife speculation that Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdu1 Aziz was seeking a return as Finance Minister in Prime Minister’s Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government.
That didn’t happen – thankfully – yet they are now ranting at his fresh appointment as a Senator and the very fact that he is assuming the portfolio of International Trade and Industry Minister.
They are not hiding their dissatisfaction and dismay at the same time that the technocrat-turned- politician was defeated fair and square in the 15th General Election (GE15) on Nov 19 by former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad – who in a twist – did not make it into the Anwar’s Cabinet list.
Expressing shock and dismay at Tengku Zafrul’s new position, they generally perceived him as an underperforming finance minister during both the administrations of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and subsequently in the government of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Many are lamenting how come Dr Dzulkefly who should rightfully be holding that position – even though the health portfolio suits him best given his stature as a renowned global toxicologist – did not even land any ministerial post.
However, netizens are not blaming Anwar directly knowing jolly well that his hands are tied having to deal with the task of forming an unprecedented unity government while doing his utmost best to satisfy the four core coalition members, namely Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
Still, the general feel is that some of his choices of ministers left much to be desired.
At least, some Twitter users justified that it would not be fair to pin the blame squarely on PH as the coalition failed to win GE15 with a big majority. They blamed the voters for not choosing their future leaders wisely.
Yet others claimed that Tengku Zafrul only secured his ministerial post based on connections instead of hard-earned merit.
More of the darndest comments from across the cyberspace: – Dec 3, 2022
