Nazri: Nothing wrong with flaunting wealth, as long as it's halal

For Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz, there is nothing wrong with a person flaunting his or her wealth, as long as it is from halal (permissible) sources.

Nazri even cited Islamic teachings which encourage Muslims to look for riches.

“There is nothing wrong if a person wants to showcase his or her wealth, as long as the source is halal. But we want to know where the source comes from,” said Nazri in a press conference in Parliament today.

He was responding to two pro-Umno newspaper articles that reported on the lifestyle of Pakatan Harapan Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s granddaughter Meera Alyanna Mukhriz.

Nazri, however, said that everyone wanted to know the source of Mahathir’s family’s riches.

“I have asked Mahathir many times how his children became rich when they don’t have business acumen.

“As public figures, people have the right to know where their wealth comes from. So don’t pretend to fight for the poor,” Nazri quipped.

Nazri also responded to Meera’s father, Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir, who said that journalism ethics have dropped to its lowest point with people's personal social media posts being used as news.

“So the non-mainstream media can expose the riches of civil servants and ministers, but the mainstream media can’t do that? Don’t practice double standards,” said Nazri.

Mingguan Malaysia and Berita Harian, on Sunday, splashed Meera’s lifestyle on their respective front pages.

Mingguan Malaysia published a photograph of Meera on a yacht purportedly named after her and claimed that the youngster frequently wears designer clothes and lives a jet-setting lifestyle.

Berita Harian, on the other hand, published pictures of Meera and her younger sister Melia Serena on a boat with friends.

- Mkini