INTERVIEW | Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz is openly proud of his “gangster” reputation, which he earned from his straight-talking ways, and says he takes a no-holds-barred approach towards any critic of BN.

At the same time, the Umno supreme council member said in an interview with Malaysiakini, he has no reservations about the moments caught on camera that he shared with at least one prominent opposition leader in the north.

“It’s not romantic at all, it’s democratic… I am straight,” Nazri said, with a laugh, to questions on photographs of him hugging and holding hands with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng during various events in the state that have been posted on social media.

However, the Padang Rengas MP remains unfazed by his critics.

He also pointed out that, at least in Penang, he would stand to gain more from a public impression of being on very good terms with Lim, who is also the DAP secretary-general.

“So sometimes I do that… When I go to Penang, it’s a DAP crowd. I have more to gain if we both decide to hug,” he said, hinting that it could even have been at Lim’s expense.

As for his own colleagues in BN, Nazri said he similarly has no qualms about hugging them but then, no MCA leader had ever approached him for a hug...