It’s secret, says Nazri on reported cabinet squabble over Robert Kuok issue

Tourism and culture minister says whatever transpires at cabinet meetings is confidential.

PETALING JAYA: Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz has refused to confirm if a war of words took place at the cabinet meeting yesterday between him and ministers from MCA and Gerakan over his recent verbal attack on tycoon Robert Kuok.

The Umno MP for Padang Rengas instead told reporters to confirm the matter with the individual or media agency that had reported it.

“You should ask China Press because I cannot say anything about what happened in the cabinet meeting,” he said.

“So, if the source (of the report) was from MCA, ask MCA lah,” he said when contacted by FMT today.

The Umno supreme council member also said whatever transpired was confidential.

“What happens in a cabinet meeting is secret, unless the prime minister talks about it or if there is an appointed spokesperson who does so,” he said.

China Press had reported that the meeting was tense due to a heated verbal exchange between Umno ministers, including Nazri, and their counterparts from MCA and Gerakan.

According to the report, three MCA ministers had expressed disapproval over Nazri’s act of challenging Kuok to contest in the 14th general election (GE14) and insulting the 94-year-old businessman who now lives in Hong Kong.

The leaders cited were MCA president Liow Tiong Lai (transport minister), deputy president Wee Ka Siong (minister in Prime Minister’s Department) and secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan (second international trade and industry minister), as well as Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong (plantation industries and commodities minister).

Kuok recently came under attack from some Umno leaders following a claim by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin that the tycoon was funding a campaign to overthrow the government.

Following this, Umno leaders including Nazri and party secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, criticised Kuok.

“Don’t be a ‘pondan’ (pansy). Don’t be an ‘ayam betina’ (hen) that hides behind walls in Hong Kong,” Nazri was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini on Feb 26.

That same day, Kuok denied Raja Petra’s allegations against him and denied funding DAP to oust the government.

The tycoon’s office said Kuok reserved the right to sue Raja Petra over the allegation.

Nazri later refused to apologise for his remarks, saying that although it was good of Kuok to deny the allegation, he should have done it much earlier.

MCA publicity spokesman Ti Lian Ker had described Nazri’s action as ill-mannered, saying it is “not in our culture” to tell people like the elderly tycoon not to be a “pondan”.

“He is our business icon and revered by Malaysians from all ethnic backgrounds,” Ti said. “He should not be involved in any politicking, let alone asked to contest in GE14.”

He said if there were any treacherous acts or political agenda to undermine the government or the country’s stability, Malaysia had laws and intelligence agencies to deal with them. -FMT