Maszlee: I am stepping down as advised by PM
PUTRAJAYA: Education minister Maszlee Malik has announced his resignation from the ministry effective January 3rd, tomorrow.
Maszlee who has been appointed as an education minister on May 21, last year announced his resignation after 20 months govern the ministry.
He said he made the decision after consulting Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at a meeting today.
“I faithfully and reluctantly, despite the advice of the Prime Minister, Maszlee Malik, resigns as Minister of Education to the Prime Minister effective January 3, 2020 (tomorrow).
“This decision was made after I was seen not through achievement. The Ministry of Education has often paid attention to the media rather than to our achievement, what has been going on for the past 20 months that has not been achieved in the previous year’s leadership.
“After the meeting with Mahathir, who is like father, leader, and statesman to me, I was advised to step down as the education minister.
“Therefore, I pleased despite the heavy resignation of my post as minister effective from tomorrow,” he said in the press conference at the Office of the Ministry of Education, Putrajaya, today.
Asked by the reporters the reasons behind his resignation, Maszlee who is also the MP of Simpang Renggam said that the decision that has been made for the sake of the country.
“For 20 months, we have achieved a good result for our education system. As we know, this ministry is known more for its controversies or for political issues instead of education-related matters.
“I also believed that our PM whom I always looked up to, to the party and to the government that advised me by him is for the best interest of the country and I am always here to serve the country no matter what position I’m in,” he said.
He said many sensitive and deliberate issues were raised as the top choice, making him a minister who had created many crisis in education.
“It’s not easy for a person with no political background and someone from an academic background to be given the ministry’s big role, which is why we see more political issues than current education issues.
“Even on the first day of my appointment, I anticipated that a lot of controversies would arise in the current era of the transition of national leadership, a lot of freedom and space given to people to air their interests and agendas in the national education system,” he said.
Maszlee tendered his resignation letter today and PM has accepted it.
He also received 159,729 signatures for the petition ‘Tun, please replace Minister of Education, Dr Maszlee Malik’ recently.
By Fifi Harteeny Marzuki
