KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak lambasted a Twitter user after criticism over his heavily pregnant daughter residing in Singapore.
“Is this an issue? My daughter has been living there for the past 2-3 years because she is with her husband who runs a business in Singapore.
“My son-in-law is from Kazakhstan. If he does business in Malaysia, you will be accusing him of using ‘cable’ (nepotism),” he posted on social media last night.
The criticism came after Najib’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor successfully applied for the temporary return of her passport to visit daughter Nooryana Najwa.
In Rosmah’s application, she cited that she wanted to be there to provide assistance and emotional support, seeing that Nooryana has a history of complications during delivery.
The order, granted by high court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan yesterday allowed the return of her passport, with the condition that Rosmah can only leave the country to Singapore from October 22, and must return to Malaysia on or before November 21.
Najib also applied for a temporary release of his passport and the Court of Appeal is set to hear the application on Monday.
Twitter user @RozyRazit levelled criticism at Najib, alleging a motive of a Bumiputera status claim for the child or wanting to be a minister, although born overseas.
Recently, debates are ongoing on granting Malaysian mothers the right to confer citizenship on their children born overseas to foreign spouses.
While the high court ruled in their favour, the government has been criticised for filing an appeal.
The user also questioned if Malaysians working in Singapore can cross borders to see their families.
Singapore had closed its border to Malaysia in March last year.
The Reciprocal Green Lane allows business travellers sponsored by a government agency or Singapore-based company to make the journey over the causeway and stay for 14 days.
The Periodic Commuting Arrangement allows Singaporean and Malaysian residents to enter either country to work in 90-day stretches. – The Vibes, October 16, 2021
