KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -Malaysia’s economy and environment ministers said on Wednesday they had submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, after both lost their leadership positions in the premier’s political party.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said he resigned from cabinet after Anwar’s daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, defeated him in an internal party election last week for the position of deputy president of the People’s Justice Party.
Rafizi said his defeat meant that he no longer had a mandate from his party to deliver on its policy agenda.
“As is the practice in countries that emphasise democratic principles, leaders who lose in party elections must make way for the winning leaders to take their place in government,” he said in a statement.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad was the only one of four vice presidents of the party not reelected in the ballot. He was defeated by a deputy minister.
“Considering that I failed to retain that position in the recent party elections, I have decided to resign,” he said in a statement.
It was not immediately clear if Anwar’s daughter would be given a post in the cabinet.
Rafizi and Nik Nazmi, who have been ministers since 2022, both said they will be on leave from ministerial duties until their resignations take effect, on June 17 and July 4 respectively.
Anwar’s office in a statement confirmed their letters of withdrawal from the cabinet had been received by the premier.
Rafizi said his final mandate has been fulfilled with the completion of the 13th Malaysia Plan, which advocates comprehensive education reform and is due to be submitted to parliament in the next session.
“I hope the cabinet will maintain some of the bold reforms … even though I will no longer be in the cabinet,” he said.
(Reporting by Ashley Tang and Danial Azhar; Editing by Martin Petty)
