KOTA BHARU - Perikatan Nasional (PN) has urged Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli to resign after allegedly failing to overcome the ongoing ringgit decline and the country's economy issues.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said that the falling currency value is believed to be due to lack of policies made for the benefit of the people.
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary general claimed that Rafizi does not know how to manage the formula properly and tries to blame the opposition instead.
"Last week, he said dear opposition especially the leader, many of you are former ministers with a lot of experience. Please give us some advice".
"Hey, you (Rafizi) used to go around saying there were all kinds of formulas you could do. Today, you ask for help, you don't know how to manage the economy anymore. Your peers from Umno used it all up and are now saying, Rafizi, you don't know how to be a minister anymore, you step down.
"Now, the people are also telling you if you don't know how to manage this country, you... (step down)," while being cheered at by supporters when speaking in front of over 10,000 people at the Pakat Pertahan Assembly and Kelantan PN state election machinery launch at Stadium Sultan Muhammad IV on Saturday.
The Larut Member of Parliament also added that when he was Home Minister, the value of ringgit dropped slightly and would only increase if PN returned to govern the country.
"The people are facing such a huge problem; cost of living. Sardine fish used to be cheap, now the price has risen over RM10, RM13, RM14, RM16, RM18. Don't let it shoot up until RM20. If it did, we would take back the Malaysian government.
"I want to tell the leaders today, if you don't know how to manage the country's economy, the people will prove it with referendum (people's petition on a political policy).
In the state election this time, we want them to step down and replace them with PN leaders," he said.
Previously, Selangor Umno denied issuing a letter or statement urging Rafizi to resign from his portfolio.
Selangor Umno argued that the letter was false and slanderous against the party leaders in the state.