KUALA LUMPUR: Expressing his readiness to accept criticisms over his daughter’s appointment, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim explains that Nurul Izzah’s role as his senior economics and finance adviser is to ensure transparency in the administration and to monitor procurements and tenders so that the process are done properly.
The Prime Minister said Nurul Izzah wanted to help realise these aims.
“I accept criticisms, but on her appointment, that is all to it. She (Nurul Izzah) will also ensure that proper procedure is followed when it comes to contracts and tenders.
“She is not there to take projects. If people criticise and they are sincere, I have no problems with it. I want to ensure there are no unhealthy practices in the administration.
“But those who criticise me include those who give millions of ringgit worth of contracts to their children. There were also paid appointments but not much work was done,” he told reporters after launching the National Sports Award 2021 yesterday.
Anwar however did not name nor did he elaborate on his allegations.
“My daughter (Nurul Izzah) was eager to help me in any way she could. If she came to help me without being given an official position, people will question her intentions even more severely than they do now,” he explained.
The Prime Minister stressed that Nurul Izzah’s role would be very limited and that she would not have any opportunity to enrich herself.
“She will not have the power to take on or directly manage any project or tenders herself,” he said.
Anwar added that he would do everything in his power to improve Malaysia’s global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) which reportedly dipped from 48 in 2021 to 47 in 2022.
“I will personally guarantee that there will be no acts of corruption, bribery or misuse of power during my term as prime minister.
“I also pledge my administration’s willingness to fully cooperate with any investigations launched by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC),” he said.
On the same issue, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil pointed out that the government had also appointed several other individuals as advisers and not just Nurul Izzah.
He named former PETRONAS president and CEO Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican as one of those who was given the adviser post of the Finance Ministry.
“The advisers will not touch on policy matters, have no source of authority including to call for meetings as well as are not paid any salary,” he said.