DOMESTIC Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub said the matter of who mooted the Rahmah concept should not be made a subject for dispute.

He said this is because the Rahmah initiative was introduced by the unity government, under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim, to benefit the people.

“I have no problem if they (political parties) want to claim the Rahmah initiative; the important thing for me is that the people get the benefit.

“Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s era, he also had a ‘baby’, which was Wawasan 2020, so I think there should not be further arguments. Let the Anwar Ibrahim era introduce the Rahmah initiative, which caters to the needs of the people,” he told reporters in Tanjung Piai today.

Salahuddin was commenting on allegations by Gerakan Tanah Air deputy information chief Mahdzir Ibrahim that the Rahmah concept was an idea of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Earlier, Mahdzir in a statement was quoted as saying that the concept of Rahmah, which was introduced by the unity government, was not the Tambun MP’s idea but was conceived by Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he was the seventh prime minister.

Meanwhile, when asked about claims by Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor that the Madani Malaysia open house in six states was a state election campaign, Salahuddin said the matter should not be politicised. 

The Pulai MP, who is also Parti Amanah Negara deputy president, said the prime minister has his own way of meeting the people by having open house events in the states. 

“Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim did not hold an open house at his official residence as done by prime ministers during Raya. This time, he decided to hold it outside of Kuala Lumpur. This the style of each respective prime minister. There is no need to be jealous and it should not be politicised,” he said.

The Madani Malaysia open house with the prime minister is starting in Kedah on April 29 followed by Penang (May 6), Negeri Sembilan (May 7), Kelantan (May 12), Terengganu (May 13) and the culmination of the open house celebration will be held in Selangor on May 14. – Bernama, April 24, 2023.