She said the newly formed Cabinet’s credibility would be affected by the appointment of Tengku Zafrul as a senator just to make him Miti minister, adding that there were more suitable people for the position.

“It looks like you are scraping the bottom of the barrel by appointing someone who was rejected by voters. Where is the credibility when losers are taken on board?” she said in a statement.

Tengku Zafrul previously served as the finance minister in the governments led by former prime ministers Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Yesterday, Adam Mukhriz Muhayeedin, an aide to Dr Mahathir Mohamad, highlighted the irony in Anwar’s decision to appoint defeated election candidate Tengku Zafrul into his Cabinet instead of Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Dzulkefly, a former health minister, had retained the Kuala Selangor seat for Pakatan Harapan against Tengku Zafrul of Barisan Nasional and two other candidates.

Rafidah also questioned the appointment of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as one of the deputy prime ministers (DPM) in Anwar’s unity government.

“Why do you need to appoint someone who is currently awaiting trial for corruption? If he is proven guilty, then you would have to find a replacement.”

Zahid has been charged with 47 counts of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

Rafidah had previously called for Anwar to exclude politicians facing trial, saying the appointment of those with court cases to the Cabinet would tarnish the country’s image.

Zahid’s appointment as DPM has received a backlash from civil society groups like Bersih, opposition leader Muhyiddin Yassin and the public.

Rafidah described the two appointments as “jarring and unnecessary” and wished Anwar luck in running the country.