Tengku Zafrul downplays absence in Parliament, denies resignation as finance minister

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz has today dismissed talks over his resignation which took place in Parliament.

He said he was absent in Parliament today during the tabling of the Supplementary Supply Bill 2021 (2022) by Deputy Finance Minister I, Datuk Indera Mohd Shahar Abdullah in Parliament was done based on planning between him and the deputy minister.

“In fact, this is based on our planning.  Even last year, the deputy finance minister also presented, or maybe Utusan Malaysia just didn’t know, didn’t remember or didn’t care? 

“They can just ask for confirmation from my office or officer. I beg, if possible, be a little fair when making media reports — use the power of your pen to tell the truth, not spread rumours,” he wrote in a Facebook post

Earlier, several MPs from the Opposition bloc has questioned the absence of Tengku Zafrul in Parliament and asked if the finance minister had resigned.

Prior to this, earlier this morning Opposition MPs similarly displayed their anger and frustration in the Dewan Rakyat asking if the finance minister has resigned, after a question relating to the finances of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and SRC International Sdn Bhd, was delegated to the religious affairs minister.

PKR’s Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil was among those who stood up to question the absence of the finance minister, asking what the use of three ministers was if none of them could be present to reply to questions in Parliament.

Due to Tengku Zafrul’s absence during the Ministers Question Time (MQT), Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Rashid Hasnon ordered the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department overseeing religious affairs, Senator Datuk Idris Ahmad to answer the question, as the finance minister and his deputies were not present for the session.

“On the issue of absenteeism in Parliament at the MQT session, I would like to clarify that there were a few personal emergencies that had to be dealt with this morning, and this matter was already informed yesterday. 

“There is no intention of not fulfilling my responsibility to answer questions as minister of finance,” he said.

He added that according to the standard operating procedure of the MQT, only the minister can give an answer, and this is not the first time a minister has been asked to read out the answers of another Cabinet member.