Anwar’s 44-year-old daughter had been in the political wilderness since the 2022 national election, when she lost her parliamentary seat in the Permatang Pauh constituency.
Rafizi, who has been minister since 2022, said on Wednesday that he became a politician to champion a “new political culture” based on responsible governance and with the support of the people.
His loss in the recent PKR election meant he no longer held the mandate from his party to deliver its policy agenda, he said in a statement. He remains a party member.
“I hope the cabinet will maintain some of the bold reforms … even though I will no longer be in the cabinet,” he added.
Rafizi’s departure from the cabinet is likely to trigger further schisms in the party, with Anwar facing a possible crisis of credibility, according to political analyst Bridget Welsh.
