Chegubard Says PMX Is The Worst Finance Minister. Perhaps He Should First Debate Khairy Jamaluddin.
I have been following Malaysian politics long enough to know one thing: politicians come and go, governments rise and fall, but facts have an irritating habit of refusing to disappear.
That is why I found Chegubard's claim that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, or PMX, is the worst Finance Minister in Malaysian history rather fascinating.
Not because criticism is wrong. In fact, we need criticism in a democracy.
But because when someone makes such a sweeping accusation, we naturally expect something called evidence.
Instead, what we often get is political theatre.
Now, let us talk about Chegubard himself.
Many younger readers may not remember that Chegubard was once among the loudest supporters of Anwar Ibrahim and the Reformasi movement. Back then, Anwar was the symbol of change, justice and hope. Today, according to Chegubard, he is apparently the worst Finance Minister Malaysia has ever seen.
Politics really does produce stranger plot twists than Netflix.
I am also reminded of another uncomfortable chapter in Chegubard's political journey.
In 2008, he contested in Rembau against a young politician called Khairy Jamaluddin. We all know what happened next.
Khairy won.
Chegubard lost.
Since then, one man went on to become a Cabinet Minister and a major national political figure. The other has spent much of his time outside the mainstream political arena, firing shots from the sidelines.
There is nothing wrong with losing an election. Every politician loses at some point.
What matters is what comes after.
Some people lose and learn.
Others lose and never quite recover.
That is why I hope politicians like Rafizi Ramli pay attention. Political setbacks are painful. Losing to Nurul Izzah in a party contest may sting. But if you spend too much time dwelling on defeat, you risk becoming trapped by it.
Politics moves on.
The public moves on.
History moves on.
And those who refuse to move on often find themselves living in political limbo — as the Malays say, hidup segan, mati tak mahu.
The irony here is delicious.
The very man who defeated Chegubard in Rembau, Khairy Jamaluddin, has in recent times acknowledged that PMX deserves credit for helping stabilize the economy during an exceptionally difficult global period.
Think about that for a moment.
Chegubard says PMX is the worst Finance Minister.
Khairy, the man who beat Chegubard in an actual election contest, says the government deserves recognition for steering the economy through rough waters.
So perhaps Chegubard should debate Khairy first.
If he can convince Khairy, maybe the rest of us will listen too.
Then there is the small matter of history.
Whether we like Anwar or not, the record shows that he was once recognised internationally during his previous tenure as Finance Minister. Malaysia recorded strong growth, fiscal achievements and earned recognition from respected international financial observers.
We may dislike the man.
We may disagree with his policies.
We may even vote against him.
But we cannot simply erase history because it is politically inconvenient.
Today, PMX is governing during one of the most challenging global economic environments in recent memory. Wars are disrupting supply chains. Inflation continues to haunt economies. Major powers are engaged in economic rivalries. Markets remain nervous.
In fact, the irony of calling PMX the "worst Finance Minister" is that both his past and present records provide ammunition for the opposite argument.
During his first stint as Finance Minister in the 1990s, Anwar was recognised by international financial publications. Euromoney ranked him among the world's top finance ministers, while Asiamoney named him Finance Minister of the Year in 1996. These were assessments made by international financial observers, not political allies or party supporters.
Fast forward to today, and Malaysia's economy has once again produced numbers that are difficult to reconcile with the "worst Finance Minister" narrative.
Malaysia's GDP grew by 5.1% in 2024, exceeding the government's initial forecast. At the same time, the fiscal deficit was reduced to 4.1%, beating the government's own target. The International Monetary Fund also noted improvements in economic performance, stable inflation, stronger investments and efforts to rebuild fiscal buffers through structural reforms.
We can argue over politics all day. We can argue over personalities. We can even argue over whether PMX talks too much or reforms too slowly.
But numbers are stubborn creatures.
They do not care who we support.
They do not care who we dislike.
And they certainly do not care about political slogans.
Which brings me back to Chegubard.
If the former Reformasi firebrand genuinely believes PMX is the worst Finance Minister in Malaysian history, perhaps he should first explain why the man who defeated him in Rembau, Khairy Jamaluddin, appears far more willing to acknowledge the government's role in stabilising the economy during one of the most uncertain global periods in recent memory.
Maybe the real contest is not between Chegubard and PMX.
Maybe it is between Chegubard and reality.
Comments
Post a Comment