Former Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli has pushed back against claims that he rushed through the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Bill during his time in government, saying the legislation had undergone multiple rounds of consultation before being tabled in Parliament.
In a post on his regular X account, Rafizi responded to a netizen who alleged that the CCUS Bill was not presented to the Parliamentary Select Committee and was “rushed” through Parliament.
Rafizi said the claim was inaccurate, stressing that the Bill had been presented to the Parliamentary Select Committee twice, while consultations were also held with several state governments including Pahang, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.
He added that the matter was also presented to all state Chief Ministers and Mentris Besar before the Bill was debated.
“It is okay to disagree with the Bill, but it is incorrect and unfair to say that consultation was not done,” Rafizi said.
According to Rafizi, the CCUS Bill received bipartisan support in Parliament as lawmakers recognised its importance in preparing Malaysia for future emissions management and industrial transformation.
He said the legislation would provide the necessary framework and infrastructure to manage greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen Malaysia’s energy sovereignty by optimising depleting gas resources, and support the long-term competitiveness of heavy industries.
“The debate was supportive of the Bill,” he added.
The netizen later apologised after Rafizi clarified that the Bill had been presented to the Select Committee twice. However, she maintained that parliamentarians may not have had sufficient time to fully study the legislation and assess its broader impact before it was passed.
