Anwar hopes Rafizi and Nik Nazmi will rethink decision to quit Cabinet
PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants to give Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad more time to reconsider their decision to quit the Cabinet.
"Let them think it over... If possible, I (want) them to rejoin (the Cabinet).
"The (resignation) letters have been received, but I have not accepted their resignations," he told Sinar Harian after a closed-door seminar and engagement session with PKR members in Melaka on Thursday (June 12).
Rafizi quit as economy minister while Nik Nazmi resigned from the natural resources and environmental sustainability portfolio following their defeats in the PKR central leadership elections last month.
At Thursday's event, Anwar urged party members to strengthen their ties with one another, putting aside any dissatisfaction with the election results.
He said members should be open-minded and put aside differences of opinion that came up during the election for the sake of the party's agenda.
'Did you imagine that I could work with Umno? (Party members) have to move on for the greater agenda.
"If I can work with (a former rival), then I can also work with friends who have different opinions," he said.
In another development, Anwar said the government will cover the expenses of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for attending the 30th Nikkei International Forum in Japan in May.
He said the government allocated RM486,000 after receiving an application from Dr Mahathir to attend the conference in Tokyo.
"There are regulations that allow the Prime Minister to approve (the travel of other former prime ministers)... he requested it (and) if the Prime Minister approves, the government will pay," he added.
Anwar said that, despite often being critical of the unity government, the former prime minister had the right to apply for allocations, subject to approval.
"I don't want anyone to misunderstand... I also don't want to be negative about it, even though he 'attacks' us every day. We still approved it," Anwar added.
On May 30, Dr Mahathir delivered a speech at the forum, which discussed the economy, technology and future of Asia.
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