PMX trolled over short memory as T. Zafrul whom he once loathed makes comeback as senior aide

 

FORMER investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz who stepped down from the Madani government on Dec 2 last year following the expiry of his senatorship is perhaps the second ‘past enemy’ to get into the good books of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

This came about after the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) chairman who jumped ship from UMNO to PKR (since appointed as an ex-officio member of the party’s Political Bureau in January 2026) is made PMX’s senior political advisor for a two-year year term effective yesterday (March 4).

Based on the three-paragraph media statement by the Prime Minister’s Office, Tengku Zafrul’s appointment is to fill the senior political secretary vacancy previously held by Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar who resigned on Nov 25 last year amid allegation of corrupt practices.

By the way, the most famous personality whom PMX had once loathed – just one general election ago – but latter accorded with diamond treatment is none other than high-ranking civil servant and the nation’s top graft buster Tan Sri Azam Baki.

As Tengku Zafrul whom many political observers did not expect to make a cut in the Madani government sprang a surprise which many critics attributed to “strong royal cable” sought “prayers to shoulder his new trust”, detractors are dumfounded as to how the former finance minister in the previous Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration can outlast any government.

One commenter contrasted the fate of Tengku Zafrul to that of former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli “who is now in a sad state” after the ex-PKR deputy president having come close to being sacked by his own party after been slapped with a show-cause letter.

Additionally, the Pandan MP is also hot on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) heels with regard to alleged leakage of government funds linked to a RM1.1 bil agreement between the Economy Ministry and a foreign firm.

This is when another commenter chided PMX that his “past condemnations of Zafrul are still reverberating”.

This was when one presumably opposition-slant commenter reminded Madani backers that the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president was “the minister responsible in raising the number of gambling draws”.

Editor’s Note: Recall that during Tengku Zafrul’s tenure as finance minister under the PN administration, the number of special 4D number draws was increased to 22 times but such decision was later overturned by PMX who reduced it back to eight times a year.

Well, another detractor viewed the latest development as “a tell-tale sign of severe defeat” by PKR-PH (Pakatan Harapan) in the upcoming 16th General Election (GE16).

Like it or not, one research-centric digital creator took the pain to dig up a Nov 15, 2022 (four days prior to GE15) statement by PMX who claimed that “Tengku Zafrul is unsuitable to be a MP” (Tengku Zafrul eventually lost his Kuala Selangor parliamentary contest to current Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad).

“I learned one thing today. Zafrul is not fit to work for the rakyat because he is only suitable to work for Anwar,” jibed Lim Meng Tao who is a Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) alumnus.

The Facebooker even went on to share a clip of PMX belittling Tengku Zafrul’s ability with this statement which has since become a household quote.

When I’m in Parliament, whenever Tengku Zafrul (spoke) … I’m lazy to ask a lot. Yes, because I don’t think his answer is the answer that should be given by any responsible Finance Minister.

At the end of the day, as one commenter pointed out, “the situation can change abruptly with the person whom you once hated so much ultimately becomes your soulmate one day .” 

 - Focus Malaysia