'Hottest Raya season', says Rafizi

PUTRAJAYA - Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli described the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festival this year as being celebrated in the hottest season in the country's history.

It is due to the hot weather conditions in several places in addition to the scorching political temperature following the Malaysia Madani Open House hosted in six states that has been disputed from the beginning.

While advising the people to drink water to avoid dehydration, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president refuted allegations that the open house was hosted as a political campaign ahead of the state election involving Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Selangor, Penang, and Negeri Sembilan.

In a video posted on Tik Tok today, Rafizi explained that the Cabinet had decided to host the open house in the six states because the expense was cheaper compared to hosting it solely in Putrajaya.

"The previously held Open House in Putrajaya organised by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government was actually much more expensive as there were 100,000 guests.

"The open house held in the six states only covers 10,000 guests each. That's why it's cheaper," he said.

He said the federal government only bears the full expenditure in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah while the state governments in Selangor, Penang, and Negeri Sembilan will manage and pay for their own expenditure.

"They say we are wasting money and campaigning when we attend to the people," he said.

The Pandan MP also said disputes with the PN will never end as it is a political norm. "Previously, they said the federal government did not provide allocations.

"When I answered in Parliament that Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah were prioritised and given more allocation, they said it was not enough since Sabah and Sarawak got more," he said.

Rafizi believed that the federal and state governments needed to focus on their own responsibilities.

"We have responsibilities such as improving the economy, reducing the national debt, and looking after the people's welfare," he said.

At the end of the video, Rafizi also criticises Kedah chief minister Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for not improving water cleanliness in the state.

"Don't let the people of Kedah celebrate Aidilfitri without water supply again this year," he said.