Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin has remained tightlipped over rife media speculation that he is soon to assume the position of 'a senior executive' at state-controlled main investment arm, Khazanah Nasional.

Asked for confirmation when contacted by malaysiakini this evening, Khairy said: "I can't comment on anything now, I have not seen anything official yet, nothing has happened."

On whether he has already been offered for the post and had communicated with Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop over the appointment, he was evasive and said he could not comment.

The Asian Wall Street Journal (AWSJ), quoting sources, yesterday reported that 28-year-old Khairy is set to become a senior executive at Khazanah Nasional.

Khairy, an economics graduate from Oxford University, is married to Abdullah's only daughter Nori, and has been a close aide to the premier over the past years.

The AWSJ report further said that Nor Mohamed was considering offering him the position of chief operating officer, the number two post at Khazanah. It added that the organisation's current chief executive, Anwar Aji, would step down as part of a broad revamp of the state agency.

'Their opinion'

Khazanah holds assets totalling more than RM150 billion and controls some of the country's biggest listed companies such as Tenaga Nasional, Telekom Malaysia, Plus and Proton. The agency is chaired by the prime minister.

Khairy's appointment, when confirmed, could be seen as controversial as Abdullah has vowed to promote a transparent government and had recently announced that all Barisan Nasional (BN) representatives would have to declare their assets to him every two years.

Questioned on this, Khairy said he anticipated criticisms and charges of nepotism over the issue.

"People can have their opinion, they can say everything on whatever I do," he told malaysiakini.

In February, Abdullah's son, Kamaluddin was involved in a major controversy which implicated his private company as being a supplier of parts for Libya's nuclear weapons programme. He was later cleared by police of any wrongdoing.