AGAIN, LIKE MICE, PAKATAN MPs HOLD THEIR SQUEAKS ON NAZRI’S SHOCKING APPOINTMENT AS U.S. ENVOY – BUT IF THEY DIDN’T EVEN PIPE UP ON NURUL’S CLEAR-CUT NEPOTISM APPOINTMENT – WHAT ELSE CAN MALAYSIANS EXPECT BUT MORE DOUBLE STANDARDS IN THE FUTURE
Two Pakatan Harapan MPs offered conflicting views over former minister Nazri Aziz’s appointment as an ambassador to the US.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said that ambassadorships should be reserved for career diplomats – who are experts in international affairs.
“We have many good and experienced diplomats suitable to be the Malaysian ambassador to the US.
“We must stop selecting former ministers and ex-MPs to be ambassadors.
“Such important posts are not meant to ‘recycle’ careerist politicians,” the PKR MP said.
Kadang orang tak ada apa sgt against Nazri Aziz nih.
Tapi wife dia…. that's another story.
Cepat jer enter frame.
🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/KuyKogaUxl
— KucingKèrong (@KlutzyKucing) February 10, 2023
Meanwhile, Hulu Langat MP Sany Hamzan said he had no issues with Nazri’s appointment.
The Amanah lawmaker said that Nazri’s experience in politics and government would be useful in building good relations with the US government.
“I don’t have any issues (with Nazri’s appointment) because he is no longer an active politician and not an MP for any constituency,” he told Malaysiakini.
Nazri’s appointment, alongside nine other heads of diplomatic missions, was announced on Thursday by the Foreign Ministry.
However, the former Umno leader’s appointment drew criticism from the public as well as former diplomats – including former ambassador to the Netherlands Noor Farida Ariffin and former Malaysian high commissioner to Canada Dennis Ignatius.
Last June, Nazri dismissed speculation that he would be made the ambassador to the US.
He also announced in 2021 that he would not contest in the 15th general election after serving six terms as a parliamentarian.
Nazri was first elected as Chenderoh MP in 1995 and retained that seat in the 1999 election, before contesting in the Padang Rengas constituency – which he won in four consecutive elections.
Prior to that, he was appointed to the Dewan Negara in 1990.
Among the cabinet posts Nazri had held were tourism and culture minister, minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of legal affairs and entrepreneur development minister.
It has been a practice by the government for senior or retired politicians to be named special envoys or ambassadors – while enjoying the same perks as federal ministers.
Meanwhile, when asked for a response to the criticism, Nazri referred Malaysiakini to his comments published in the New Straits Times.
He was quoted as saying that the only opinions on his appointment that mattered were those of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
“If the King and the prime minister feel that I’m the right person, then I am the right person. Surely they have been advised (about my appointment).
“Their feelings are the ones that should be taken into account, not anyone else’s,” he said.
‘Excited about new job’
He added that in diplomacy, it was not about giving an opportunity to people merely because they were “career diplomats”.
“At certain times, you need to send somebody who can help mend relations. It’s not about employment but about servicing the country,” he said.
Nazri expressed excitement to serve the country in a different capacity, thanking the prime minister and Agong for having faith and confidence in him.
He declined to reveal when the appointment was made known to him and kept mum on when he would be leaving for the US.
MKINI
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