ECONOMY Minister Rafizi Ramli (picture) rejected Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s (Pagoh-PN) proposal that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should not hold the position of finance minister.

He said Anwar is the best person for the post now to “avoid” past problems that come with the job.

“I don’t agree. The best person to be finance minister is the prime minister.

“This is because (the prime minister) has the greatest responsibility to ensure procurement governance to avoid what happened before,” he said when answering additional questions at the Minister Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.

Muhyiddin asked if Rafizi agreed for Anwar to appoint a full-time finance minister and suggested the name of the Pandan Member of Parliament.

“Maybe Yang Berhormat (Rafizi) will be appointed finance minister,” said Muhyiddin.

In September 2015, Rafizi who was then in the opposition bloc filed a Private Bill in Parliament to enact an act preventing a prime minister from appointing himself as finance minister.

At that time, Najib Razak held the position of prime minister and was also responsible for the financial portfolio.

However, in December last year, Rafizi said the appointment of Anwar in the unity government Cabinet as finance minister was made in view of the current “extraordinary” political situation.

Anwar was finance minister from 1991 to 1998 before being sacked by then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Rafizi said the previous prime minister who also held the finance portfolio made a mistake by concentrating all power on him.

“So now, in terms of the breakdown of work, most of the planning and economic plan is determined by the ministry of economy and then worked on by the responsible ministry,” he said.

Under the current government, Rafizi said the economic growth has unprecedentedly increased three times in a row, as the salary increases and lower poverty rate. – TMR / pic TMR FILE