ALLEGATIONS suggesting that Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli vacated his office during a recent leave have been dismissed by Najib Bakar, his former special officer.
Responding to PKR Deputy President hopeful Nurul Izzah Anwar, Najib clarified that Rafizi had neither stepped down as minister nor resigned from his role within PKR.
He also affirmed that no resignation letter was ever submitted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Nurul Izzah had previously stated that she was compelled to contest the PKR Deputy Presidency after hearing that Rafizi had taken leave and vacated his ministerial office in Putrajaya.
She said she received this news while attending a conference in India and noted that party leadership had supposedly been briefed on a resignation letter prepared by Rafizi.
These developments, she claimed, led to concerns over whether Rafizi intended to continue in his political role, concerns compounded by a series of internal losses suffered by Rafizi-aligned leaders.
Najib, however, provided context, explaining that the perceived “clearing out” of the office was merely routine tidying ahead of the Ministry’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house on 28 April.
“There were even officers from the special branch who visited the ministry to check if Rafizi had packed up. Probably acting on hearsay or unverified sources,” Najib added.
“Yes, the office was tidied, but only to prepare for the festive gathering, not because he was stepping down,” he said. —May 23, 2025
Main image: Utusan Malaysia
