Yang Bakar Menteri’s Podcast with Lim Sian See Sparks Heated Reactions from Viewers

Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli with Dato’ Eric See Too, also known as Lim Sian See, has drawn mixed reactions from netizens, with many expressing their dissatisfaction over how certain topics were handled. The podcast, which was expected to delve into key national issues, quickly turned into a contentious back-and-forth, leading viewers to question the credibility and transparency of Rafizi’s responses.

One major topic discussed was the issue of rare earth minerals. Critics pointed out that during Rafizi’s time in opposition he raised concerns about these minerals being labeled as nuclear materials, only to now shift the narrative as part of the government. Many viewers accused Rafizi of being hypocritical, highlighting how he avoided addressing the core issues and instead justified the government’s stance.

One major topic of contention was the issue of rare earth minerals and Lynas. Lim Sian See took aim at Rafizi and Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) previous stance against the rare earth processing company Lynas, questioning their earlier opposition and subsequent support. According to Eric:

“Dalam podcast, saya tanya kenapa dorang bantah dan ikrar mahu tutup Lynas dari tahun 2010 hingga 2013 tetapi kini sokong penuh Lynas dan kata industri nadir bumi akan perkayakan negara.”

In response, Rafizi provided two explanations:

  1. The demand for rare earth elements only surged in 2016, which meant that the BN government’s decision to approve Lynas in 2010-2013 was premature.

  2. At that time, they did not yet see the full potential of the rare earth industry.

Eric, however, countered Rafizi’s claims, stating:

“Maksudnya Najib boleh nampak jauh ke depan supaya Malaysia dapat first mover advantage tapi masa itu korang tak nampak lah tapi masih sanggup menghasut dan menipu Rakyat kononnya nadir bumi itu loji nuklear dan boleh meletup pada bila-bila masa lalu menyebabkan Rakyat menjadi mutant?”

Eric also addressed Rafizi’s attempt to pin the blame on the previous BN government for allowing Lynas to store rare earth waste in Malaysia permanently. According to Eric:

“Dia juga cuba belit untuk kata kerajaan BN dahulu benarkan Lynas untuk simpan sisa-sia buangan nadir bumi buat selamanya di Malaysia, dan ini adalah faktor utama mereka bantah masa itu.”

However, Eric debunked this argument by pointing out that under the BN government, the plan was to process the waste into useful, safe materials, such as construction materials. He emphasized that it was under the PH 1.0 government in 2019 that Lynas was allowed to build a Permanent Disposal Facility (PDF) to store the waste indefinitely in Malaysia, and this policy continues under the current Madani government:

“Rancangan kerajaan BN dahulu ialah untuk proses sisa-sisa itu untuk menjadi bahan berguna yang selamat seperti bahan binaan tetapi ianya kerajaan PH1.0 pada tahun 2019 yang terima duit hampir RM200 juta dari Lynas untuk benarkan Lynas membina Kemudahan PELUPUSAN KEKAL atau Permanent Disposal Facility (PDF) di sini untuk simpan sisa-sisa buangan tanpa diproses itu buat selamanya di Malaysia. Langkah ini diteruskan bawah kerajaan Madani.”

Eric pointed out the contradiction in PH’s earlier opposition to waste disposal in Malaysia and their later actions that allowed Lynas to store the waste permanently:

“PH bantah sebab tidak mahu sisa-sisa dibuang di Malaysia tetapi PH juga yang letak syarat bagi Lynas bina PDF untuk simpan sisa-sisa di Malaysia buat selamanya? Lepas itu dia tak ulas lagi.”

The conversation about diesel prices also left some viewers frustrated. They felt that Rafizi failed to clarify whether private consumers were subsidizing industrial users. One commenter noted that when Lim posed a challenging question, Rafizi avoided giving a direct answer, prompting the moderator to change the topic.

The conversation about diesel prices also left some viewers frustrated. They felt that Rafizi failed to clarify whether private consumers were subsidizing industrial users. Dato Eric See To himself highlighted this issue during the podcast, stating:

“Saya suruh Rafizi kira harga pasaran sebenar diesel menggunakan formula APM secara live. Dia kata dia tak kira tetapi jika ada beza, perbezaan itu adalah antara 5 sen atau 10 sen sahaja (satu pembohongan). Tetapi saya kira dan beritahu dia bahawa harga pasaran sebenar adalah 60 sen setiap liter masa itu (dan 50 sen hari ini) di bawah harga runcit yang ditetapkan kerajaan. Saya kata adakah ini cukai tersembunyi kerajaan?”

Eric went on to challenge Rafizi by comparing his previous criticism of Najib’s policies with the current situation:

“Jika dulu Rafizi tuduh Najib rampas hak subsidi Rakyat untuk beli cincin untuk Rosmah, korang beli cincin untuk siapa pulak bila kenakan cukai tersembunyi begitu besar itu?”

Rafizi’s response, according to Lim, was that any “excess money” or profit from diesel sales is returned as subsidies for public transport, fishermen, and through the Budi Madani program. Lim quickly countered:

“Saya balas bahawa masa Najib pun subsidi diberi kepada sektor pengangkutan awam dan nelayan tanpa mengenakan cukai tersembunyi diesel yang begitu besar. Lalu saya tanya adakah ini bermaksud Rakyat yang sebenarnya beri subsidi kepada Rakyat dan subsidi bukan lagi hak Rakyat seperti berulang kali dituntut Rafizi masa dahulu? Dia tak jawab.”

In discussing the 1MDB-linked IPIC case, netizens expressed their disappointment with the moderator, accusing them of cutting Rafizi off when the minister struggled to respond to Lim’s pressing questions. Some went as far as to call the moderator “useless” for failing to hold Rafizi accountable for his answers.

Another hot topic was political donations, specifically those related to Najib Razak. Viewers criticized Rafizi for conflating political donations with taxable income. One comment likened Rafizi’s argument to someone returning their salary to their employer and still being taxed on it. According to them, Rafizi’s understanding of the issue was “too shallow” and “lacking depth.”

The issue of Najib’s RM2.6 billion donation also reignited debates. Netizens sided with Lim, stating that the funds were a political donation that Najib returned out of goodwill. Rafizi’s portrayal of the funds as a “loan” was dismissed by viewers as an attempt to distort the facts. Commenters further questioned why individuals like Jasmine Loo and Zeti’s husband, who were implicated in the 1MDB scandal, remain free while Najib faces imprisonment.

Rafizi’s handling of transparency and justice during Pakatan Harapan’s first administration also came under fire. Viewers noted that Rafizi deflected the conversation by mocking Lim, while the moderator once again intervened to wrap up the discussion.

The podcast ended with Rafizi making vague threats against Lim, which many saw as an indication of his frustration. Some commenters observed that Rafizi seemed “triggered,” unable to adequately address Lim’s questions, resorting to intimidation tactics instead.

In conclusion, netizens expressed disappointment with Rafizi, labeling him “confident but lacking substance,” noting how he often dodged direct answers and leaned on context to evade accountability. The moderator was widely criticized for seemingly shielding Rafizi from tough questions. Lim, despite his nerves as a first-time public debater, was praised for his courage in pushing Rafizi on tough issues, even though many felt the format ultimately disadvantaged him.

For viewers, the podcast was less an informative discussion and more a demonstration of Rafizi’s evasion, leaving many of Lim’s questions unanswered and frustrations high among the audience.

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