Nurul Izzah will be more effective than advisers in previous govt - Khalid

Representatives of various governing parties differ regarding the appointment of Nurul Izzah as senior economic and financial adviser to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Parti Amanah Negara's (Amanah's) Communications director Khalid Samad thinks it is too early to criticise or evaluate Nurul Izzah's achievements.

Khalid (above) said he was confident Anwar had a reason to appoint Nurul Izzah to the position to help him face economic challenges.

He said the prime minister is entitled to the support or views of any party to help him.

"Give him the opportunity to prove the effectiveness of the appointed advisers. In a situation where there is no cost, there is no reason (for) us to be upset.

"We will only comment after a year and if there is no contribution from the appointed advisers, we can question it," he said when contacted.

However, Khalid said he is confident that Nurul Izzah will be more effective than the advisers and minister-level ambassadors appointed by the previous government.

‘No issue of nepotism’

PKR's Azan Ismail claimed that there was no issue of nepotism because Nurul Izzah has the qualifications to fill the position, not to mention without any remuneration.

He said it is not easy for a leader to volunteer to serve in an unpaid position during a critical period, in the run-in to the preparation of Budget 2023.

"The prime minister has seen many mistakes made by the previous government and it is certain that he needs the support of assistants to help him, especially in the preparation for the Budget 2023.

"It is not a question of nepotism, as Nurul Izzah is qualified as a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). She does not interfere in policy matters, but only as a check and balance.

"She is only there to help prepare the budget. I think Nurul Izzah will step down after everything is finished and the economic situation improves. For me, this is a big sacrifice, as not everyone can serve for free - but she volunteered.

"Why don't opposition PAC members offer to serve for free, instead of just criticising?" Azan told Malaysiakini.

‘Negative impact on Anwar’s leadership’

Previously, Nurul Izzah revealed her appointment for the position in an interview which elicited much negative reaction and criticism from both opposition and PKR representatives.

However, the prime minister maintained that the appointment would help the government, including ensuring that all processes of awarding contracts and tenders are carried out in an orderly manner.

An Umno leader, who refused to be named, offered the view that Nurul Izzah's appointment had a negative impact on Anwar's leadership.

"This is against Anwar's policy of wanting to create good governance, without cronies, and wanting to reduce leakages in government management.

"Although the prime minister has the rights, it gives a bad impression to the people," he said.

Meanwhile, several DAP leaders who were contacted by Malaysiakini declined to comment on the appointment.

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