KUALA LUMPUR – Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to dismiss himself from the finance minister post, citing his handling of the current devaluation of the ringgit.
Hamzah said that Anwar’s performance as finance minister is deemed worse than that of the finance minister during the previous administration under Perikatan Nasional’s (PN).
“During his tenure as the opposition leader (previously), YB Tambun (Anwar) expressed dissatisfaction with the finance minister (under PN’s administration) when the ringgit faced a decline.
“Now that YB Tambun is the prime minister and holds the reins of the government, he should similarly express dissatisfaction with the current finance minister.
“As such, the present finance minister should be relieved of duty due to underperformance compared to the previous officeholder. I appeal to the prime minister to dismiss the current finance minister today.”
Hamzah, who is Bersatu secretary-general and Larut MP, asserted that Anwar should have courageously and responsibly addressed the challenging situation.
“During the 15th general election campaign on November 15, 2022, what did YB Tambun, (the opposition leader at the time), say? (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin) saw the ringgit fall, (Datuk Seri) Ismail Sabri (Yaakob) saw the ringgit fall, Muhyiddin saw prices of goods rise, and Ismail Sabri saw prices of goods rise. That’s why there was a need for a change to Anwar because Anwar promised a decrease in prices.
“Later on, it doesn’t matter, he mentioned again on November 16, 2022, that ‘if I become the prime minister, prices will fall, and the ringgit will rise’. Suddenly, today, it’s a different story. He says… don’t turn the ringgit’s weakness into a political weapon.
“What’s happening? When it hits close to home, he does ‘taichi’ (completely avoids it). I want to remind the prime minister… you are the prime minister and the finance minister. Take the bull by the horns and be responsible,” he said.
At the same time, Hamzah questioned the government’s alleged failure to announce any contingency plan to address the situation.
“Why hasn’t a special committee been formed to announce a contingency plan promptly… find a way out and save the country,” he said.
Previously, Anwar cautioned against using the ringgit’s fall as a political tool, urging parties not to rely on unfounded claims.
The prime minister highlighted that Malaysia recorded its highest investment amount in history last year, with decreasing inflation and unemployment rates and sustained economic growth amid the global economic slowdown.
“Even though there are issues with the ringgit, investments last year were the highest in history. Sometimes people forget, when it becomes a political issue, they just want to criticise.
“If the world lacks confidence, investments will surely slow down. We are concerned that if the ringgit falls, then inflation rises, growth stalls, and investments are not secured. However, currently, all economic figures and data show that we are on the right track.
“That’s why, while we look for ways to improve, let’s not make this a political punching bag unless it is based on facts,” he said. – February 27, 2024