Being appointed to a government position will not restrain Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub from holding on to his principles.
The newly appointed Malaysian Palm Oil Board chairperson told Malaysiakini that he accepted the position to "serve the country", and not to be "bound" by others.
"I am saying sincerely, I am not restrained. If there are parties who think I could be restrained by giving me this GLC chairperson position, they are mistaken.
"[...] If they think, oh, 'Machang MP's problem is solved, we have given him a position'. This is a mistake.
"I have my own stand," he told Malaysiakini when contacted yesterday.
He did not mention any names although it is believed that his remarks were directed towards Umno's Perikatan Nasional ally Bersatu.
Despite Umno having the most federal seats among PN parties, Bersatu appeared to remain dominant, through party president Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The issue was extended to the distribution of positions among leaders from the two parties, with several Umno leaders claiming they were sidelined in Muhyiddin's cabinet.
Within Muhyiddin's cabinet, Umno leaders are said to been given portfolios with lesser responsibilities compared to Bersatu leaders who jumped from PKR, for example International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali.
The controversy also swept Sabah and Johor with party leaders demanding for GLC positions and debating the new appointments.
Commenting on his own appointment as an Umno leader, Jazlan said he will only support a government that is truly working for the country.
"Which government I am supporting, so long as I see the government is really ensuring the country's sustainability, that I can support," he said.
Jazlan has been appointed as MPOB chairperson effective April 8.
Previously, a list of rumoured Umno leaders to be appointed as GLC heads had gone viral, including party deputy president Mohamad Hasan, said to be named as Tenaga Nasional Berhad chairperson.
Mohamad, however, has since confirmed that he rejected the offer.
Aside from Mohamad, other names on the list include Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as Petronas chairperson, Umno vice-president Mahdzir Khalid as TM chairperson and Umno supreme council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman as Prasarana Malaysia Bhd chairperson.
Both Mahdzir and Tajuddin, however, have said that they have yet to receive any confirmation regarding the rumoured appointments.
- Mkini
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