PKR deputy information chief Razeef Rakimin has called out Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali for wanting to take a pause from politics, saying that the latter still has a duty to serve his constituents in Bukit Antarabangsa.
The former international trade and industry minister, who failed to defend his Gombak parliamentary seat in the 15th general election (GE15), is still the Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman as Selangor has yet to dissolve its state assembly.
“As an elected representative, the decision to rest can only be made when deciding not to contest in an election. As long as [Azmin] is an elected representative, it is his duty to continue serving the people until the end of his term,” Razeef said in a statement.
In pointing out that Azmin’s announcement was “irresponsible”, Razeef also said the Bersatu Supreme Council member would surely continue to receive his allowance as an assemblyman despite his “break” from politics.
Throwing shade at several “special envoys” appointed when Perikatan Nasional (PN) was the government, Razeef further wondered if PN leaders had the habit of “makan gaji buta” (getting paid without working).
“I would like to advise Azmin that if he wants to take a break, just take a permanent break from politics, seeing as to how his credibility is ruined and it is impossible that the rakyat will trust a traitor like him once again despite hitting the ‘reset’ button on [on his political career] repeatedly.”
In a surprise tweet yesterday, Azmin – who has been relatively quiet since his defeat in the Gombak parliamentary seat in GE15 – announced that he is taking a “momentary pause” in his public service career, adding that he needed to go “back to the drawing board” on his future.
Azmin lost the Gombak parliamentary seat after obtaining 59,538 votes, losing to his former protege Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
This was considered a surprising defeat for Azmin, who won the seat in 2018 with 75,113 votes. He had held the seat since 2008.
Azmin has been branded by many as a “traitor” due to his role as one of the leading figures of the “Sheraton Move” which triggered the collapse of the short-lived Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration in Feb 2020.
Azmin had led several politicians to leave the PH-component party PKR and later joined Bersatu under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was Malaysia’s prime minister until August 2021.
He was appointed as senior minister under the next administration headed by former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. – Feb 13, 2023
Main pic credit: FMT
