Malaysia’s Rafizi Ramli resigns as minister after bruising loss in ruling party election

Rafizi Ramli was deputy president of Anwar’s political party but lost the post to the prime minister’s daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar

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Rafizi Ramli (left), PKR’s then-deputy president, pictured at a press conference with Anwar Ibrahim in 2022. Photo: AP

Published: 2:30pm, 28 May 2025Updated: 3:39pm, 28 May 2025

Malaysia’s Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli quit Anwar Ibrahim’s cabinet on Wednesday, days after the prime minister’s daughter – Nurul Izzah Anwar – was voted in as the ruling party’s second-in-command, leapfrogging him and sparking a nepotism row.

His resignation, effective June 17, is a blow to Anwar’s government and the dominant People’s Justice Party (PKR), which was deeply split by a bitter internal campaign as Rafizi and his supporters pushed back against the elevation of Nurul Izzah.

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.

Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim with his daughter Nurul Izzah. Photo: Instagram / n_izzah

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.

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