MUHYIDDIN’S BERSATU, WHICH RUSHED TO CONTROVERSIALLY REVERSE PAKATAN’S MOVE TO LIMIT PM POST TO 2 TERMS, NOW WANTS TO BAR PM FROM HOLDING FINANCE MINISTER POST – SURE, BUT BOTH SHOULD BE PASSED & WHO WOULD EVER TRUST MUHYIDDIN & BERSATU AFTER THEIR BLATANT HYPOCRISY

Business, Politics | February 16, 2023 7:02 pm by | 0 Comments

29/3/2018, Kuala Lumpur - A general view of Parliament building in Kuala Lumpur. Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

PN MP proposes Act to bar PM from holding finance minister post

Putrajaya MP Radzi Jidin says centralisation of power by the prime minister increases the risk of abuse of power.

Putrajaya MP Radzi Jidin says Malaysia needs to establish a solid governance system to ensure the country’s strong financial health in the future.

KUALA LUMPUR: A Perikatan Nasional MP has suggested that an Act be introduced to prohibit a prime minister from holding the finance minister’s portfolio.

Radzi Jidin (PN-Putrajaya) said Malaysia needs to learn its lessons from the 1MDB scandal, which happened when the sixth prime minister, Najib Razak, helmed the finance ministry.

He also emphasised he did not mean to single out any particular individual.

“We are not talking about Tambun (Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim), but about the governance system itself,” said Radzi while debating the royal address in Dewan Rakyat.

“We need to understand that the centralisation of power will increase the risk of abuse of power as there are no checks and balances.

“A solid and intact governance system needs to be created to ensure that our beloved country will be inherited by our children and grandchildren in good financial condition.

“Therefore, I propose that an Act that prohibits the prime minister from holding the finance minister’s position be created.”

Radzi Jidin

The Bersatu MP also called out the silence by Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders when Anwar appointed himself as the finance minister.

This happened after the coalition had previously called for both positions to be separated after the 1MDB scandal.

Anwar was criticised by opposition politicians and civil society groups for naming himself the finance minister.

Many said Anwar had gone against PH’s pledge in its GE14 election manifesto to bar the prime minister from holding the finance minister’s position.

However, Anwar was defended by economy minister Rafizi Ramli, who said that “extraordinary circumstances” had led the prime minister to take over the finance portfolio.

Rafizi also said that Anwar took on the role to prevent conflict among the coalitions and parties that form the unity government.

MKINI