KUALA LUMPUR: Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun is ready to drop her position if she is really unfit to carry out her task as a minister in the cabinet of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Rina, who is also the Head of Srikandi Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), said currently her focus was to shoulder the responsibility entrusted to her.
“I accept any decision made.
“As long as I am still in this position (Rural Development Minister), I will continue to carry out the trust and responsibility,” she told the media, after the Tadika KEMAS Certificate Presentation Ceremony today.
She was commenting on rumours over the Prime Minister’s meeting at the Perdana Leadership Foundation.
Rina and Education Minister Dr. Maszlee Malik were among the names mentioned which would be dropped, by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Cabinet.
Yesterday, Rina, who is also former Puteri Umno Exco, said she did not know of any cabinet reshuffle and considered it as rumours.
Rina called on the media to get further clarification from the Prime Minister regarding the cabinet meeting on Friday, which discussed society and national issues.
Meanwhile, Rina stressed her stand to continue to strengthen the Rural Development Plan across the country, among others, to get the views of rural communities including in Sabah and Sarawak.
When asked about the 50 per cent deduction of the allocation of the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) in the Budget 2019 which related to the ratification of the International Convention to Eliminate of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), Rina denied it.
“I ask Rembau Member of Parliament (Khairy Jamaluddin) to read the Budget book 2019,” she said, adding that it was wrong to say that the allocation had decreased from RM3.5 billion to RM1.3 billion.
“Actually the allocation for Mara in 2019 is RM3.7 billion. The RM1.3 billion is the operation expenses only,“ she said.
