Khairy is not happy while Nazri calls appointment “regressive”.
Umno’s Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz appear unsettled after the appointment of former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the chairman of the Barisan Nasional Advisory Board.
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby on Wednesday (July 10), Khairy curtly said: “Suddenly I’m not happy where I am”.
He then left the Parliament building before the media could ask him to elaborate further.
Just Monday, Khairy said he was content with being in the Opposition party, following the invitation by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul to join the ruling party.
“I’m quite happy where I am, thank you,” he had said then.
Khairy has been known to be a vocal critic of Najib ever since BN lost in the last general election.
He was among the first in Umno to call for Najib to step down as party president after the 14th General Election (GE14).
He had said that Umno must leave Najib behind in order to rise again to power.
Former Barisan secretary-general Nazri also expressed displeasure at Najib’s appointment, saying it will not make things better for Umno or BN.
“Who did we lose under (in the last general election)? What kind of advice can he give us?
“I think it is regressive,” he told reporters.
On claims that BN had lost the polls due to slander, Nazri said: “Slander or what, you reply in the court of law. You are being charged, okay?”
As for former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, he said whether Najib’s appointment would strengthen the party remained to be seen.
“The appointment has just been made,” he said. “We need to observe. Things don’t change overnight.
“You prove your sincerity by your actions. If your actions are for the bigger picture such as unity, stability, focus on the economy and the future of the country and the people, I don’t think anybody can accuse you and claim conspiracy.”
Meanwhile, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the appointment was something new for BN as there was previously no advisory board.
“I welcome Najib as an adviser for the coalition. We have the same board in Umno, chaired by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. The roles are similar.
“We thank Najib for being willing to serve the party,” he added.
Najib, who stepped down as Umno president after Barisan’s defeat in the GE14 was appointed as the chairman of the coalition’s advisory board on Tuesday (July 9).
Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor had said that with Najib’s appointment, it was hoped Barisan would regain the people’s confidence.