The Star Online: Nation
The Star Online: Nation |
| Posted: Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz recently drew flak for appointing his son Nedim as one of his special officers, leading to allegations of nepotism. Speaking to The Star about the controversy, the outspoken Umno politician stood his ground against his critics. Your son has attracted attention in the past, and before this issue there were allegations that he was linked to a wealthy businessman. How is he taking all this? My son is just a normal Umno member. He is not an active politician. It is not my son these people are really upset with, it's me. > Why? Because I am an unorthodox Malay politician. One possible reason why I am different is that, unlike many of us Malaysians who are thin-skinned, I am thick-skinned. What people say about me does not bother me. Sometimes it is the reason why people are upset with me. For example, I have the fullest respect for freedom of expression. I fully subscribe to Voltaire, who said "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend your right to say it." However, if you want to respect freedom of expression, then don't get angry when I exercise my right of reply. They are hard on me, no problem. But when I respond to them in equal measure, they take it personally and get very angry. > Your critics say it is inappropriate to have your son working in your office as it smacks of nepotism. What's your response? I am being transparent. I put his name on my ministry website so people can know about it. If I wanted to conceal things and it turns out his name is not listed anywhere, then yes, you can say something is wrong. > Why is your son working for you and what does he do? My son has been a volunteer in all my general election campaigns since 1999, when he was 16 years old. Some of the Umno Youth members are shy to approach me, but would seek out my son if they need my help. He serves as a "bridge" between youths in my constituency and me. When I was appointed deputy minister and later minister, youths elsewhere also became interested in seeking my help. I can't tell them I can only help them if they are from my constituency, so that's why I appointed him. As my special officer, he is in charge of helping me reach out to young people. > He is paid from your pocket and does not draw a government salary? Yes. As a minister you can appoint anyone as a special officer but you will be the one paying the salary. Anyone can check whether he is on the government's payroll or on mine. The officially gazetted officers assigned to a minister are senior private secretary, private secretary, press secretary, special officer in charge of parliament affairs and special officer in charge of NKRA. The gazetted officers have clearly defined jobs but there are other things that need to be done, that's why I appointed my son as a special officer to reach out to youths. > Your son does not use government facilities when carrying out his duties? Some people think that he must surely be using government facilities, but for what he's helping me with, he doesn't even operate from an office. He meets up with them at coffee outlets and uses his own mobile phone. > There are now calls by your critics that you should contest for a supreme council position (Nazri is currently an appointed member of the council, which is Umno's top decision-making body) in order to affirm your political legitimacy. Will you run? What for? I have not been contesting a supreme council position post for the past 10 years. Why do I want to come back now? These people say that if I want to retain my ministerial position, I must contest. Firstly, they are not the Prime Minister. Secondly, Cabinet appointments are not made based on whether or not you are an elected supreme council member. I first contested for the supreme council in 1990 when I was 36 years old and I won despite being a nobody. To me, after 2008 what's important is you win the general election, not who gets what party position. I have no ambition to go higher and I am happy as I am. After 35 years in politics, how can I still be thin-skinned? I've gone through my share of facing the press, being criticised. You cannot please everybody. At the end of the day, as a minister you have to make decisions regardless of what people say about you. Don't dilly-dally. Say it as it is. |
| Posted: PETALING JAYA: MyWatch chairman R. Sri Sanjeevan is out of danger but is still unable to communicate. His father, P. Ramakrishnan, said Sanjeevan could move his eyes but could not speak or gesture yet as he has a tube down his mouth and was heavily sedated. "The doctors said he has suffered some trauma that may cause him to not remember certain things. "I don't know when he will be able to talk to me. But he is improving and that's all I care about," he said, adding that Sanjeevan was being fed milk through the tube. Sanjeevan, who heads the anti-crime watchdog group MyWatch, was shot by someone riding pillion on a motorcycle in Bahau, Negri Sembilan, on July 27. Doctors successfully extracted the bullet after 18 days. He had earlier developed a critical blood clot in his heart and lungs. The bullet has been sent to the Cheras forensics department. Sanjeevan remains in intensive care at the Serdang Hospital. Ramakrishnan claimed that Negri Sembilan police officers were still waiting around his son's ward. "I just found out that a few days ago, some policemen from there had been interviewing the doctors here about my son," he said. Ramakrishnan said he had been given assurances by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and Federal CID chief Datuk Hadi Ho Abdullah that Bukit Aman had taken over investigations into Sanjeevan's shooting from the Negri Sembilan police. This came after Ramakrishnan made a highly-publicised police report demanding that Negri Sembilan police stay out of the investigation into his son's shooting. He claimed that he had reason to believe some policemen from the state were involved in the attempt on Sanjeevan's life. |
| Muhyiddin: Discuss candidacy first Posted: ALOR SETAR: Umno members who wish to offer themselves as candidates in the party's division elections must discuss with their respective divisions first before announcing or registering their candidacies. Party deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who proposed this, said the move would avoid unpleasant incidents such as having too many vying for the same position. "I know that what I propose is easier said than done but if such a step is taken, the election process can run smoothly," he said after attending the Kedah Umno Hari Raya open house here yesterday. "This way, our main objective of choosing leaders who can lead the party and the community effectively can be achieved." Present at the event was his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman as well as Mentri Besar Datuk Paduka Mukhriz Mahathir and wife Datin Norzieta Zakaria. Muhyiddin hoped his proposal would be adopted in good faith. "I do not want to be misinterpreted as preventing anyone from contesting. But, at the end of the process, we wish to produce leaders who are well respected and accepted. "Our party election is not only observed by Umno members as the Malay community and the non-Malays are also watching us. The non-Malays also want Umno to remain strong because if Umno is strong, the Barisan Nasional coalition is also strong," said the Deputy Prime Minister. He said the party election was a platform to find new strong leaders to improve Umno's image at a time when the party was facing new challenges. "It means there is a need for sacrifices. What I am saying is in general. "I do not deny the contribution made by senior leaders and when the time comes, I too will have to make way." Before ending his visit, Muhyiddin visited former Kedah Mentri Besar Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital's intensive care unit. |
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