KUALA LUMPUR – Those highlighting instances of alleged nepotism by opposition politicians are merely vying to move the spotlight away from Nurul Izzah Anwar’s appointment as a senior adviser to her father, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
This is according to Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who said that such voices are attempting to silence critics of Nurul Izzah’s post in the Prime Minister’s Department and the Finance Ministry.
Amar’s son, Ahmad Mujahid, is an assistant manager with the state’s Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), while state Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob’s daughter, Nor Azma Hilmah, holds the same title in SEDC’s legal and integrity department.
“I would like to highlight that Nurul Izzah’s appointment process was different from that of our children.
“They were hired through standard procedures by submitting their applications and sitting for interviews, but Nurul Izzah was appointed directly by her father,” Amar was quoted by NST as saying today.
In the midst of the uproar over Nurul Izzah’s appointment as Anwar’s senior adviser on economic and finance, a poster detailing Mujahid and Azma’s positions in SEDC as well as their familial links to the state government was circulated online.
A source from SEDC had subsequently defended the duo’s appointments, claiming that both applicants were made to fill in forms and pass an interview by a panel before being selected for their posts.
Sinar Harian reported on Thursday that the source also asserted that neither the menteri besar nor his deputy were aware of their children applying for the roles until they were called in for appraisals.
Anwar has since defended his decision to appoint Nurul Izzah as his senior adviser without any salary, claiming that the move has nothing to do with nepotism.
He had previously said that Nurul Izzah’s appointment, which was reported on January 29 but had been in effect since January 3, was made based on her qualifications.
Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had subsequently called on Nurul Izzah to resign, saying that the “misplaced” appointment could be a “black spot” on her political journey to a possibly brighter future. – The Vibes, February 5, 2023
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