Rafizi urges Anwar to drop BN amid growing govt infighting

Political infighting between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Umno leaders has prompted former economy minister Rafizi Ramli to call for the party's removal from the federal government, saying the growing hostility could undermine the administration.

Rafizi's call came after Anwar openly challenged Umno ministers to raise any grievances with his administration during a campaign dinner ahead of the Malacca state election last night.

The exchange followed a reported dispute between Anwar's Finance Ministry and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's Rural and Regional Development Ministry over allocations for rural road projects. Zahid had claimed that funds were being withheld, while the Finance Ministry maintained that Zahid's ministry had overspent its allocation.

The Rural and Regional Development Ministry was subsequently given an additional RM500 million, sourced from savings in other ministries.

In a statement today, Rafizi said the public exchanges of criticism should serve as a wake-up call for Anwar to drop Umno ministers from his cabinet and remove BN from the federal government.

“His responsibility as prime minister is to lead the cabinet and federal government in focusing on governing the country, while ensuring that all ministries work in tandem as a single administrative machinery,” he said in a statement today.

The Bersama leader warned that the evident hostility could weaken, or even paralyse, the administration as cooperation across government machinery continued to deteriorate.

He argued that the administration of several key ministries under Umno's control would follow the direction of party-appointed ministers who were no longer aligned with Anwar.

Rafizi also cited Umno's indication that it would work with PAS after Anwar's term as prime minister ends, alongside the political tensions in Malacca, where Pakatan Harapan and BN are set to contest against each other in 23 seats.

He said an impending cabinet vacancy following Transport Minister Anthony Loke's expected resignation over former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's house arrest clemency presented an opportunity for a ministerial reshuffle.

Such a reshuffle would also be timely, Rafizi argued, given that Anwar's administration had secured its parliamentary majority through a confidence and supply agreement (CSA), while entering into political cooperation with Bersatu for the Malacca polls, with similar cooperation potentially extending to Selangor.

“Clearly, the formula of bringing together opposing political parties to form the Madani government is no longer working,” he said.

“If Anwar has failed, or is openly challenged by Umno ministers whom he appointed himself, he should have the courage to remove BN from the federal government and carry out as many reforms as possible ahead of the 16th general election,” he added.

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