KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has called on Datuk Seri Najib Razak to check his facts on criticisms leveled by the former against tycoon Robert Kuok.
In a second salvo in as many days against former Prime Minister, the Padang Rengas Member of Parliament said his criticisms on Kuok was made in defence of Najib’s earlier remarks against the tycoon.
“When I made statements on Kuok, it was in defence of Najib’s earlier statement, in regards of the tycoon if you remember. He was the one who first made statements on Kuok.
“I only issued statements on Kuok to defend Najib, who was the Barisan Nasional president back then,” he told a press conference in Parliament today.
The former Tourism Minister was responding to Najib, who on Sunday had said that Nazri was amongst the reasons of Chinese did not vote for MCA.
The Pekan Member of Parliament said Nazri’s criticism against Kuok had offended the Chinese community, resulting in the community not backing the MCA.
Nazri further said that MCA’s defeat in the past general elections was not due to his remarks made against the business tycoon.
“The trend of the Chinese community in not supporting the MCA had been going on for long, hence my criticisms have nothing to do with it
The BN component party only won 15 Parliamentary seats in the 2008 general election down from the 37 seats it held previously. The Malaysian Chinese based party saw its Parliamentary seats plummet to seven seats in the 2013 general election and now only holds a sole seat, by its party president, Datuk Ir Wee Ka Siong.
“Najib should also check his facts. My criticisms were based on his statement, accusing Kuok of getting many government projects, but in the end did not support the government.”
Nazri had previously criticised Najib’s appointment as Barisan Nasional’s (BN) adviser, saying the move was not in the interest of the coalition.
He said with most Umno members agreeable with the appointment, he was now okay with it.
“It’s okay. What’s wrong with that. I have my own opinion and I don’t represent the party when i make statement.
“I am only the Padang Rengas Umno chief. But Umno said that it practices democracy, so what is wrong with us criticising some move made by the party, even if was made without consulting the supreme council.”
Nazri also claimed that he was told that Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi did not consult the coalition’s on Najib’s appointment.
“So, it was a decision made by him. Therefore, I have every right to say my piece. Nobody can get me.
“You know my character, if it is wrong; it is wrong.”
Meanwhile, Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said Nazri’s criticism on Najib’s appointment was his personal view.
“It was his personal view and I think, if you ask two or three people they may have another different view.
“We have decided that there is nothing wrong with members to express their views, hence it is not something amounting to a disciplinary matter.
“It is strictly personal opinion and he is entitled to it, therefore it was a non issue as far as we are concerned.”