I refer to your report headlined Nazri: Jangan cemas dengan kenyataan Khairy , which quoted Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz as telling the Parliament that the public should not take the public utterance of PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin too seriously because he holds no position in the government.

The minister concerned should be commended for making the bold clarification.

Khairy must be publicly reminded that there is a gamut of institutions in Malaysia to which even the prime minister must be accountable: the Parliament (both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara), the Yang Dipertuan Agong and the cabinet.

Moreover, the prime minister must also listen and respond to public opinions, both local and international.

Khairy must also learn to appreciate the fact that, in a modern society, the status of son-in-law is not an official post. It is merely a intra-family and private-personal relationship. Khairy cannot convey any official policy, even if it is a genuine one, by virtue of him being the son-in-law of Abdullah.

I also hope diplomats and journalists, both foreign and local, would respect Malaysia's modern system of governance by not taking Khairy's public utterance as official policy. To do that is highly contemptuous for the Malaysian Parliament, monarchy and cabinet and also the Umno and Barisan Nasional supreme councils - which are supposed to be modern, not feudal or mediaeval.