Nur Jazlan disappointed by Najib's weak stand
Alyaa AzharPublished: Feb 7, 2015 7:00 AM | Updated: Feb 7, 2015 12:04 PM
Umno parliamentarian Nur Jazlan Mohamed has expressed disappointment with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for not putting his foot down over the controversy surrounding Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Umno parliamentarian Nur Jazlan Mohamed has expressed disappointment with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for not putting his foot down over the controversy surrounding Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
"The prime minister should have come out with a statement that says these kinds of statements cannot come from his cabinet," Nur Jazlan stressed.
Nur Jazlan (right) explained that this is because the cabinet represents the top decision-making body of the country, and they reflect what the top leadership thinks about the topic.
"So, I was quite disappointed when the prime minister did not respond strongly to the statement and instead supported Ismail Sabri on that issue," he said at a press conference after a forum organised by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) today.
Ismail Sabri was embroiled in a controversy after he posted on Facebook that Malays should boycott Chinese traders for not lowering the prices of goods.
The Prime Minister's Office later clarified that the minister's remarks had been directed at all businesses, and not the Chinese alone.
'Move away from race rhetoric'
Nur Jazlan opines that what Ismail Sabri had said was not based on facts.
"Although now he says that he did not say it (boycott Chinese traders). But the problem is that the top leadership should have a stand".
He added that it was important to be more progressive and that people should place themselves on a global supply chain.
"We should move away from this racially-tinged and populist kind of rhetoric," he said.
It is no secret that other BN component parties were unhappy over Ismail Sabri's remarks, MCA and Gerakan in particular.
MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon had even asked for the minister's resignation, a call backed by 165 youth divisions.
Party president Liow Tiong Lai had urged Ismail Sabri to be "responsible for his statement".
Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein however today dodged questions if BN component parties had accepted the cabinet's position on the matter.
"We discussed it in cabinet; MCA, MIC, Gerakan are also members of the cabinet," Hishammuddin told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
'Umno to stay in power, but PMs will come and go'
"The prime minister should have come out with a statement that says these kinds of statements cannot come from his cabinet," Nur Jazlan stressed.
Nur Jazlan (right) explained that this is because the cabinet represents the top decision-making body of the country, and they reflect what the top leadership thinks about the topic."So, I was quite disappointed when the prime minister did not respond strongly to the statement and instead supported Ismail Sabri on that issue," he said at a press conference after a forum organised by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) today.
Ismail Sabri was embroiled in a controversy after he posted on Facebook that Malays should boycott Chinese traders for not lowering the prices of goods.
The Prime Minister's Office later clarified that the minister's remarks had been directed at all businesses, and not the Chinese alone.
'Move away from race rhetoric'
Nur Jazlan opines that what Ismail Sabri had said was not based on facts.
"Although now he says that he did not say it (boycott Chinese traders). But the problem is that the top leadership should have a stand".
He added that it was important to be more progressive and that people should place themselves on a global supply chain.
"We should move away from this racially-tinged and populist kind of rhetoric," he said.
It is no secret that other BN component parties were unhappy over Ismail Sabri's remarks, MCA and Gerakan in particular.MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon had even asked for the minister's resignation, a call backed by 165 youth divisions.
Party president Liow Tiong Lai had urged Ismail Sabri to be "responsible for his statement".
Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein however today dodged questions if BN component parties had accepted the cabinet's position on the matter.
"We discussed it in cabinet; MCA, MIC, Gerakan are also members of the cabinet," Hishammuddin told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
'Umno to stay in power, but PMs will come and go'
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