KUALA LUMPUR – Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has defended his decision to step down as minister, saying he no longer holds the moral mandate to remain in Cabinet after failing to secure leadership positions in both his PKR division and at the central level.
“I was given the mandate as a minister when I was PKR vice-president. Since I’ve been rejected at the division and central levels this year, to me, it’s not a legal decision but a moral decision to resign,” he said in a farewell speech to staff at the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Ministry, which was posted on YouTube.
He added that while the decision was not easy, it was made on principle.
“I’m not a senator or technocrat – I’m a politician. In a Westminster-style democracy like Malaysia’s, party decisions are not isolated.”
Nik Nazmi said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had spent an hour urging him to reconsider, but he stood firm.
“I told the prime minister I would think about it. He said, ‘you cannot think-think’,” the Setiawangsa MP quipped.
“But I felt this was the right thing to do. If I stayed on, the government would lose credibility, and I would lose credibility.”
His resignation, effective July 4, follows his defeat in the recent PKR party elections, where he failed to defend his position as vice-president and lost his bid to remain as Setiawangsa division chief, the latter to actor-director Datuk Afdlin Shauki.
He submitted his resignation letter to the prime minister on May 28 and has supposedly been on leave since.
In a social media post accompanying the video of his farewell speech, Nik Nazmi said the event marked his final engagement with civil servants as minister.
“This was a difficult decision, but one made on principle and the mandate I carried. It was a moral choice,” he wrote.
He expressed gratitude to ministry staff for their support in advancing key government priorities, including the Climate Change Bill and amendments to the Environmental Quality Act.
“These years were full of challenges, lessons and memories. I leave this role with gratitude and deep respect.”
Nik Nazmi said he would continue serving as Setiawangsa MP and contributing to environmental and sustainability issues in Parliament, especially through legislation and policy scrutiny.
“Be prepared for my questions. I will stay close to the NRES and NRECC sectors.”
Recalling his unexpected appointment in December 2022, he said he received a call from the prime minister just 30 minutes before the Cabinet announcement.
“I was eating and watching YouTube when the PM called. He had mentioned the name of the new ministry – a merger of KETSA and KASA – so I had to Google it because I wasn’t familiar with the details,” he added, to which the audience responded with laughter.
He reported for duty the following Monday, meeting senior officers from both ministries.
He credited the NRES civil service for the ministry’s successes, noting most of its achievements were due to their work, not his.
“The minister is just the public face. What people see is the result of the work, contributions and sacrifices of every officer and staff member. From the bottom to the top.”
Nik Nazmi described the NRES team as the “best team possible”, praising their commitment, professionalism and activism.
“More Malaysians should know the dedication, integrity and capability of our public servants – some of whom act more like activists than bureaucrats,” he said.
He drew a parallel to Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp’s resignation from the club, saying he, too, had to step away despite his attachment to the job.
“Liverpool won under Klopp. It was the team he built. But even though he loved the club, he made the decision to go. That’s how important this decision is to me.” – July 2, 2025