KUALA LUMPUR: Bersatu vice president Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin today said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's move to also hold the Finance Minister post was "regressive".
He said the move also appeared to be not in line with Pakatan Harapan manifesto and the 'reformasi' slogan championed by Anwar.
In voicing his concern, the Putrajaya Member of Parliament said there was a risk that the move would lead to lack of "check and balance" function in the government.
"On September 16, 2015, PKR deputy president, Rafizi (Ramli) wrote on Facebook that he has filed a private bill to enact an act that prevents a PM from appointing himself as Finance Minister.
"Under the 12 promises made during GE14 (14th General Election) manifesto, Pakatan Harapan (PH) promised that the PM will not hold any other ministerial positions, namely the Finance Minister post.
"When the PM becomes the Finance minister, there is no longer a check and balance function. The PM's action in holding the position is very regressive in terms of governance," he said in a post on his Facebook yesterday.
Radzi, a former senior education minister, said a nation's fundamental aim was to have an efficient and stable system of governance.
On that basis, he said Anwar's approach of taking on the Finance Ministry portfolio could not protect or ensure efficient use of government monies.
"The last PM to be Finance Minister was Datuk Seri Najib (Razak). Prime ministers after him, Tun Dr Mahathir (Mohamad), Tan Sri Muhyiddin (Yassin) and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri (Yaakob) did not hold the finance portfolio, concurrently.
"Even these three prime ministers did not hold any ministerial portfolios," he said.
Radzi added that he was also aware that there were PH leaders who disagreed with the move.
"PH leaders themselves consciously disagreed that a prime minister should take on the finance minister post. Malaysians who understood good governance, will certainly disagree as well.
"What is visible to me now is that the PM talks a lot about issues mainly to please the people.
"Where is the reform that he championed? Is it just a slogan when you are in the opposition?" he asked.
