KUALA LUMPUR, November 26 – Shamsul Iskandar Akin has stepped down as the political secretary to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, submitting his resignation letter this morning following mounting pressure over a recent controversy.
In a statement on X, Shamsul said he chose to resign to prevent further attacks against him that could potentially tarnish the government’s image, although he did not elaborate on the incident. His departure comes days after public scrutiny over a support letter he issued for contractors involved in a hospital project.
An act that Prime Minister Anwar acknowledged breached government regulations, though he stressed that no laws were violated and no projects were approved based on the letter. The issue had prompted criticism from several quarters, including calls from Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli urging stronger action to uphold anti-corruption principles.
Anwar defended his approach, explaining in Parliament that while Shamsul had been reprimanded, the incident did not warrant immediate dismissal. Shamsul, who has served in the role since December 2022 and is also the Melaka PKR chief, thanked the prime minister for his trust during his tenure.
His resignation marks the latest development in the ongoing debate over governance standards and accountability within the administration.
