Dr M: Cabinet will keep Maszlee in check as IIUM president

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad sees no harm in Education Minister Maszlee Malik taking up the post of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) president.

Asked whether about a possible conflict of interest, for example, if IIUM request for funds from the Education Ministry, Mahathir replied: "In the end, it is the Finance Ministry that must approve it."

Probed further if he meant that other ministers would keep Maszlee in check, the premier said: "There's the cabinet too."

Mahathir said this during a joint interview by Malaysiakini and Sinar Harian at his office at the Perdana Leadership foundation this evening.

Maszlee has courted brickbats from both Pakatan Harapan and the opposition for accepting the post of IIUM president.

Critics say this goes against the spirit of the Harapan manifesto which pushed for autonomy in public varsities.

Mahathir, however, reiterated his view that the manifesto was made with the view that Harapan would not win the May 9 general election.

Now that Harapan is in government, he said, that there should be some leniency in appointing party members to certain posts if they were qualified.

"If our people have the proper qualifications, even though we say that party members should not be appointed, they get in not because of the party but because of their capabilities," he said.

However, he said there will not be a repeat of past BN practices where an entire management team consisted of party members. - Mkini