PARLIAMENT | Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah (above) traded barbs with his predecessor Anifah Aman on foreign policy issues at the Dewan Rakyat today.
The exchange was triggered by Saifuddin's move to table a motion to allow Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's speech at the UN general assembly last month to be used as a framework for Malaysia's foreign policy.
Anifah fired the first salvo saying that he was hurt by Saifuddin for suggesting that the Pakatan Harapan government was bringing a new approach to foreign policy.
"What the prime minister said was not that different from what was said in the past.
"I am worried when the minister says he is introducing a new policy. This is as though Malaysia did not have any policies before this current government.
"You are on the point of insulting Malaysia as though we had never spoken out or been involved in major world issues," Anifah lamented in his debate speech.
The Kimanis MP also advised Saifuddin to work with Wisma Putra's officers in the forming of policies.
Saifuddin shot back in his debate wrap-up, saying there was no such effort to ignore the past government's foreign policy work.
He said that what he was pushing for was not a new foreign policy but a clear framework for policy formulation.
"All of this is done with continuous consultation with officers. Some try to portray as though as I the minister am doing all this myself.
"But I can say that there is a foreign minister who has never held a post-cabinet meeting but this is not the place (to name the minister).
"That is not me. I have pre-cabinet and post-cabinet meetings. Don't fool around. If you want to take a shot get it right," Saifuddin added.
The minister did, however, praise Anifah for objecting to "one or two decisions" by the previous government that was done without consultation.
Saifuddin, however, refused to divulge details beyond saying that it was done by "another minister who had functions."
This is believed to be a reference to former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein who also had a special functions portfolio pertaining to Middle East relations.
Anifah, who debated the motion at 12.30pm, was not present when Saifuddin made his retort at 6.20pm. - Mkini
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