'Condolences': PAS says reformasi dead with PM still finance minister

 

Following Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement of a cabinet reshuffle, a PAS leader offered his “condolences”, mourning what he claimed was the death of reformasi.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari’s macabre response was based on Anwar’s decision to retain the finance portfolio.

“The new cabinet has finally been announced. The prime minister is still the finance minister. The key promise of ‘reformasi’ has now been officially buried. Condolences,” the Pasir Mas MP said.

Harapan’s 2018 manifesto stated that the prime minister would not hold any other portfolios. This was also why Anwar’s predecessor, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, did not proceed with plans to helm the education portfolio after the 14th general election.

The coalition’s manifesto for the 2022 election did not include such a caveat. At the time, then-economy minister and Anwar’s second-in-command in PKR, Rafizi Ramli, defended the prime minister serving as finance minister as a “suitable move” given the “extraordinary circumstances” of his government.

“In my opinion, it was a tough decision to make, actually. Because it was likely that the various parties that form the government wanted the finance minister post to be on their side.

“For example, if someone from Harapan were appointed finance minister, it could be a problem for BN. And if it is someone from BN, Harapan might not be happy,” he said.

PM-ship not a porfolio

In the same year, Anwar said the prime minister and deputy prime minister holding ministerial portfolios is not a contradiction to the Harapan manifesto.

“I think it is not contradictory (to the manifesto). In my understanding, the prime minister is not considered a portfolio.

“The prime minister generally manages the country, and so does the deputy prime minister. This is not a portfolio,” Anwar told The Star.

Rafizi, who has since resigned from the cabinet after losing to Anwar’s daughter Nurul Izzah in the PKR polls, also expressed hope at the time that it would be a temporary arrangement. - Mkini