Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin’s appointment to the chair of a government-linked company has raised talk that it is a reward for him to stop questioning the Perikatan Nasional government, said Johor DAP Youth chief Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali.
Sheikh Umar, who is the Paloh assemblyman, said Khaled’s appointment as Boustead Holdings Bhd non-executive chairman also gave the impression that the plum position for the Umno leader was to ensure the party remained loyal to PN.
“It appears it is to stop Umno from doing anything to threaten the stability of the PN government,” he said today in a statement referring to Khaled’s appointment effective today.
Boustead said the Johor economy had seen steady growth under the leadership of Khaled, who was Johor menteri besar from 2013 to 2018.
Sheikh Umar said that Khaled’s appointment arrived at a time when he was a vocal critic of the PN government.
He said there were also questions over Khaled’s appointment in a GLC under the purview of the Defence Ministry, which is headed by Khaled’s party colleague Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“In politics, Khaled’s appointment will be seen as a political reward…is he being rewarded after being critical of PN?
“And will Khaled now refrain from criticising the PN government, especially from hitting out at Bersatu?”
Khaled in recent weeks has lashed out at Bersatu for playing big brother in the ruling pact, even though the party is the smallest party in the coalition in terms of number of seats in parliament. – TMI