Criticism of Rafizi politically motivated, says PKR Tuaran chief

KOTA KINABALU (March 24): Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Tuaran chief Razeef Rakimin has dismissed claims labelling Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli as the “most failed minister”, describing the accusation as baseless and driven by personal sentiment and political vendetta.

Razeef was responding to criticism by PKR founding member Ng Lum Yong, who had questioned Rafizi’s performance as Economy Minister from 2022 to 2025.

“The statement is not grounded in facts and is clearly driven by personal sentiment, political grudges and a culture of sycophancy towards certain leaders,” he said in a statement.

He said Rafizi introduced a new approach to economic governance that emphasised transparency, data-driven decision-making and structural reforms.

“Rafizi brought a culture of making economic decisions based on real data and in-depth analysis, not mere political rhetoric. This has improved the efficiency of national economic planning,” he said.

Razeef highlighted Rafizi’s continued focus on transparency and public participation, including technology-driven initiatives such as big data analytics.

Key programs introduced included the People’s Income Initiative (IPR), which helps individuals generate additional income through food, agriculture and services, and the People’s Facility Initiative (IKR), allowing public applications for infrastructure repair and development projects.

“These initiatives have helped lift thousands out of poverty and made access to development more transparent, compared to the past where such processes were often dominated by politicians,” he said.

On Rafizi’s resignation following his defeat in party elections, Razeef described it as a demonstration of integrity and accountability rarely seen in Malaysian politics.

He also noted that criticisms of Rafizi overlooked broader economic indicators, including reports highlighting Malaysia’s resilience amid global uncertainties, which he attributed in part to policies implemented during Rafizi’s tenure.

“Labelling someone as a failure without evaluating the structural reforms undertaken is shallow and irresponsible.

“The country needs leaders who are brave enough to implement reforms, even if they are not popular in the short term,” he said.

Razeef further criticised Ng, alleging his remarks were politically motivated and inconsistent with his past actions.

“Such statements appear to be an attempt to curry favour, while ignoring the fact that he had left the party in 2011 and joined another political party, and had previously campaigned against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” he added.