FINANCE Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz has said he had a personal emergency and that is why he was not present in Parliament today.

In a statement, Zafrul said he had informed Dewan Rakyat last night that he had an urgent personal matter to attend to this morning.

“There was no intention of not fulfilling my responsibility to answer questions as finance minister.

“According to the standard operating procedures of the minister’s question time, 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 minister,” he said in the statement, which was posted on Facebook.

Accompanying the post was a report by Utusan Malaysia, which had suggested that Tengku Zafrul had quit his post.

Tengku Zafrul was responding to queries from lawmakers in the House earlier today, who had asked if he had resigned, after he was absent from Parliament, leaving Deputy Finance Minister I Mohd Shahar Abdullah to table a series of bills.

Tengku Zafrul had said in an interview with Malay-language daily Sinar Harian in January he would quit rather than compromise on actions he believes are incorrect, such as the government facilitating contributors withdrawing their EPF money.

Yesterday, in a reversal of previous policy, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that contributors would indeed be allowed to withdraw another RM10,000 from their savings to help tide them over as the country continues to weather the economic impact of Covid-19.

It is understood that Ismail was responding to pressure from within Umno to allow further withdrawals.

Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena-PH) then enquired after the minister’s whereabouts, referring to Tengku Zafrul’s previous statement.

“Yesterday the prime minister made the announcement, so does Tengku Zafrul’s absence today mean he has resigned?”

Mahfuz said that if Tengku Zafrul had indeed resigned, then Shahar’s filing would be null and void because there was no minister.

Meanwhile, Tengku Zafrul said Shahar acting on his behalf was all part of the plan.

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

“It can just ask for confirmation (on resignation) from my office or officer.

“I hope, if possible, it will be a little fair when making media reports – use the power of your pen to tell the truth, not spread rumours.” – March 17, 2022.