Long after cautious political types would have written off his career, Umno stalwart Nazri Abdul Aziz has defied the odds and lived to tell the tales of brinkmanship in both politics and government.

Nazri has served as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister Department, Deputy Finance Minister and Entrepreneur Development Minister.

He is currently a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, in charge of the running of Parliament.

The MP for Sungai Rengas, he has been a executive committee member of Umno Youth - of which he was acting chief for a short period in the early 1990s. He has since been elected to the Umno supreme council.

A turbulent career

Not once to mince his words, Nazri has walked alone if this was required to make his stance clear.

1998

: The Attorney-General's Chambers threatened to issue Nazri a show-cause letter as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for making a statement about the presiding judge in the ongoing corruption trial of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

Nazri, then Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, had been quoted in press reports as saying that High Court Judge S Augustine Paul should resign if he felt it difficult to preside over a case conducted in Bahasa Malaysia.

However, Nazri said he would not respond to any show-cause letter, adding that he was prepared to face court action.

Feb 16, 2003

: Nazri participated in a debate with PAS deputy Youth chief Salahuddin Ayob over the Sekolah Agama Rakyat issue,

July 4

: Nazri defended his action in dancing with a dangdut singer at a charity event to raise funds for the Iraq war victims, after the picture was published in Pas official organ, Harakah , in its July 1-15 edition.

It had published two pictures of Nazri in different roles at separate functions - one picture showing him wearing a skull cap and debating with Pas over the Sekolah Agama Rakyat issue, and the other, dancing with dangdut singer Ani Mayuni at the fund-raising event organised by the Sandakan Puteri Umno.

August

: Another debate between Nazri and PAS leader Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi ( photo ) over the closure of two Mara Science Junior Colleges (MRSM) in Terengganu was called off at the 11 th hour when police prevented participants from entering the Islam Administrative Centre in Sri Imam Complex, Kuala Terengganu, for security reasons.

Dec 8

: A public spat ensued between Nazri and Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) Enforcement Director Nordin Ismail after Nazri criticised the ACA for its delay in probing the a complaint about the issuance of 6,000 taxi permits to a single individual who is the chairperson of 19 companies. The complaint was lodged by Taxi, Limousine and Hired Car Drivers Association president Yusoff Lahir.

January 2004

: Nazri announced that five MRSM colleges would begin to accept 30 percent non-bumiputra students from Feb 23. The colleges in Kuala Kubu Baru (Selangor), Kuala Lipis (Pahang), Kulim (Kedah) Pontian and Muar in Johor would allocate about 660 seats for students from Form 1-4. There are 27 such colleges throughout the country.

Feb 17

: Nazri denied that he had resigned his ministerial post as was being widely rumoured, saying that the Attorney-General had cleared him of the allegation that he had a hand in the granting of 6,000 taxi permits.

April 6

: Nazri as the Chenderoh Umno Division head, publicly pledged his support for Umno Vice-President Najib Tun Razak to be appointed deputy president and deputy premier.