
Rafizi to ‘burn and enlighten' in new podcast after stepping down as economy minister
In a Facebook post announcing the podcast, Rafizi said he is now free to speak openly, unbound by government ethics or confidentiality.
'God willing, I will balance the commentary on YBM – there will be some 'burning' (bakar) and also some 'enlightening' (beri pencerahan). What's important is that it must be objective, fact-based, and provide a fair understanding to everyone,' he said.
The weekly podcast's debut episode is set to air this Friday at 9pm.
Rafizi, who stepped down as economy minister after losing the PKR deputy presidency, hinted that the podcast would tackle criticisms against him while outlining his political future.
In his announcement, Rafizi listed several jibes often directed at him, including claims that he is 'always sulking,' 'achieved nothing as a minister,' and is 'thinking of starting a new party.'
Rafizi said his focus would shift to harnessing the potential of ordinary Malaysians.
The YBM podcast marks Rafizi's return to the format, having previously hosted Yang Bakar Menteri, which shares the same acronym.
This time, Rafizi promises a fresh approach, combining fiery critiques with thoughtful analysis.
The Pandan MP also teased future plans, saying he would reveal more after Hari Raya Haji celebrations earlier this month.
The debut episode of YBM will air this Friday, potentially setting the stage for Rafizi to further explain his departure from the cabinet and his vision moving forward.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Express
4 hours ago
- Daily Express
MP questions rejection of hike in special grant
Kota Kinabalu: Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Fong Hin took the Federal Government to task for the manner in which Sabah appears to be sidelined in terms of revenue allocation. He said the 'Keluarga Malaysia' slogan is useless if the plantation sector feels victimised, the tourism sector feels marginalised, the unemployed feel left out and the people of Sabah are not given increase in special grants provided in the Malaysian Constitution.


Free Malaysia Today
7 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Ombudsman Malaysia to replace whistleblower committee
Deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran said whistleblowers' identities could be protected if disclosures on misconduct were made through the proper channels. KUALA LUMPUR : The government will replace the current whistleblower protection committee with the soon-to-be-established Ombudsman Malaysia, which will have wider powers and clearer reporting mechanisms, the Dewan Rakyat was told. Deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran said the current committee was merely a stop-gap measure. 'It is temporary until Ombudsman Malaysia is set up,' he said in winding-up the debate on the Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today. Earlier today, opposition and government MPs called for better amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, warning that the current draft lacked teeth and could enable political interference. Some MPs had also questioned the appointment of the members to this committee. Kulasegaran said Ombudsman Malaysia would take over the role of the committee with additional powers, including receiving complaints from whistleblowers involving misconduct. 'SOPs including timelines and relevant aspects will be detailed during the setting up of Ombudsman Malaysia.' Kulasegaran added that the main objective of the Whistleblower Protection Act remained unchanged – which was to protect whistleblowers. But he said protection could only be granted if the disclosure was made to an enforcement agency, as stipulated in the Act. 'If the information is not channelled to an enforcement agency, the individual will not be classified as a whistleblower.' Kulasegaran stressed that the government was confident whistleblowers' identities could be protected if disclosures were made through the proper channels. 'However, if the disclosure is made to the media or the public, it will be difficult to offer protection. The information may be widely shared.' He further said the government was looking at ways to improve the reporting mechanisms, including allowing disclosures to parties other than enforcement agencies to encourage more people to come forward. The bill was later passed by the Dewan Rakyat.


Free Malaysia Today
7 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Gathering on assembly law reform turns tense in brief standoff with cops
Rallygoers were involved in a brief standoff with police outside Parliament this morning. KUALA LUMPUR : A gathering calling for the abolition of the Sedition Act and the reform of the Peaceful Assembly Act turned a little tense when a participant was allegedly manhandled by a policeman outside Parliament this morning. Student group Himpunan Advokasi Rakyat Malaysia (Haram) president Brendon Gan, who witnessed the incident, claimed that a policeman grabbed a demonstrator by the neck during a standoff at the barricade. 'Who gave the cops the right to do that?' he asked. 'If it wasn't for YB Syed Saddiq who came to help, who knows what would've happened?,' he said, referring to Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. FMT has contacted the police for comment. The incident occurred as about 50 demonstrators – from electoral reform group Bersih, rights group Suaram, student groups, unions, and several civil society organisations – marched from Taman Tugu to Parliament to hand over a memorandum demanding reforms. They were stopped in the middle of the road by policemen who prevented them from reaching Parliament's gates. Protesters, some of whom turned up as early as 10.30pm despite the downpour, chanted 'long live the people, rise up against oppressive laws!' while beating drums and holding up banners that read 'fight draconian legislation'. The crowd was later met by several MPs and representatives, including Syed Saddiq; Perikatan Nasional's Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal; Teresa Kok, Syerleena Abdul Rashid, Dr Kelvin Yii, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and Khoo Poay Tiong from Pakatan Harapan; as well as Warisan's Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis. Addressing the crowd, Wan Fayhsal and the other MPs in attendance expressed support for the protesters. 'If I, as a parliamentarian with immunity, can be punished for speaking out, imagine the risks faced by citizens. I will ensure your voices reach the Dewan Rakyat,' Wan Fayhsal said. Yii, the Bandar Kuching MP from DAP, reaffirmed the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, saying it had long been part of Malaysia's democratic tradition. He urged the authorities not to suppress such gatherings but to instead 'facilitate them better', 'A bill will be tabled to amend the Peaceful Assembly Act,' he said. 'I haven't seen the final draft yet, but once I do, I will study it to ensure it includes the necessary reforms. 'Regardless of whether we agree with the message of a demonstration, we must respect their right to assemble.' Several other speakers criticised the government for failing to deliver on its promises to abolish the Sedition Act and ensure meaningful reform of public assembly laws. 'This is not the first time we've submitted a memorandum calling for the Sedition Act to be abolished,' said Bersih chairman Faisal Abdul Aziz. 'We've done it before. Today, we are here to demand that the government listens and acts.' Qistina Johari of Amnesty International Malaysia said peaceful assemblies and freedom of speech were being treated as 'a threat' by the authorities. 'Protests are not criminal. Protests are patriotic,' she said. 'The Sedition Act should have been abolished along with the British Empire — instead it's still being used to protect the powerful.'