My job is not to play Santa Claus, Rafizi tells critics

 

Rafizi Ramli said he was aware that the opposition wanted him replaced but it was natural for an economy minister ‘to face all this’.

PETALING JAYA: Rafizi Ramli said his main responsibility as economy minister was to repair the country’s economy and not dole out handouts.

“The task of an economy minister is not to be Santa Claus, handing out free gifts to the people,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

He said the country has veered off the path for sustainable economic growth due to practices “we can no longer afford”.

Rafizi said the public had gotten used to equating handouts and mega projects as economic planning.

He said some applauded mega projects worth billions initiated by previous administrations without considering the debt it entailed and which the current government had to bear.

“There are also those who miss the times when they could withdraw their money from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).”

He said while allowing for EPF withdrawals provided short-term solutions, it was problematic in the long run as such measures drove up prices when a substantial amount of money was injected into the economy in a short period.

Rafizi said he was aware that the opposition wanted him replaced, with his rivals claiming that the economy was in dire straits and in decline, often accusing him of “doing nothing”.

However, he said it was natural for an economy minister “to face all this”.

“And while I welcome opinions, they must be based on comprehensive assessments, not snippets.” - FMT