Aizuddin Abd Gaffal said Rafizi and Nik Namzi should adhere to the principle of collective responsibility, as stipulated in the Code of Ethics for members of the administration and MPs.
Aizuddin, a political secretary to Ramanan, said the extension of the FWCMS contract until 2031 was approved on June 24, 2024, under the purview of the home ministry, at a time when both MPs were members of the Cabinet.
“At that time, the two, who are now vocal critics, were still Cabinet members with authority, access to information and shared responsibility in the decision-making process,” Aizuddin said in a statement.
“If the weaknesses they now claim were indeed so serious, why were these concerns not raised when they were part of the decision-making body (the Cabinet)?
“Why are these issues only being highlighted now? This is not about differing opinions — it is about consistency and integrity in politics.”
Rafizi, the Pandan MP, and Nik Nazmi, the Setiawangsa MP, resigned as economy minister, and the natural resources and environmental sustainability minister respectively in May last year.
Rafizi and Nik Nazmi, along with eight other PKR MPs yesterday opposed the proposed introduction of the Universal Recruitment Advanced Platform, also known as Turap, saying there is no need for it, given existing and upcoming government platforms.
They said the government should instead utilise the planned National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe), which is expected to be operational by 2028.
They were responding to a report that the human resources ministry had proposed to implement Turap, developed by Bestinet Sdn Bhd, which currently operates the FWCMS.
The MPs said the FWCMS had operated for more than six years without a signed contract, and weaknesses in system controls allowed unauthorised users to approve employers’ applications.
Aizuddin said Rafizi and Nik Nazmi did not voice objections about the FWCMS and the NIISe after the Public Accounts Committee had raised the issue of a potential overlap between the two systems.
“Their statements not only confuse the public but also embarrass the other eight MPs aligned with them as they appear unable to distinguish between the basic functions of the foreign worker recruitment system, FWCMS, and NIISe,” he said.
Earlier today, the human resources ministry said it is exploring the development of an AI-powered digital platform to improve the foreign worker recruitment ecosystem, adding that all proposals, including Turap, are still being refined and that no final decision had been made.