Nazri: If I'm 'empty up there', so are three former PMs

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz (pic) has laughed off the Johor Crown Prince' suggestions that he is "empty up there".

The Tourism and Culture Minister said Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim's opinion could not be true as he was qualified to practise law and a member of Lincoln's Inn in London.

"It cannot be true... I'm a barrister-at-law," he told The Star Online on Wednesday.

He also said the first three prime ministers of Malaysia – Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Hussein Onn – were all barristers too.

"These people are not empty up there," he said.

In an interview with a news portal, Tunku Ismail said that Nazri was not entitled to be a minister and suggested he could be "empty up there."

Nazri also said that if he was not entitled to be a minister, Tunku Ismail should blame three prime ministers - Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak – for appointing him.

"If I'm not entitled to be a minister then blame these three people," he said.

Nazri also denied that he had been insensitive to the Johor royalty, saying that they were where they are today because of Umno.

"In the Umno constitution, we uphold the rights of Malays including the royalty. They should take good care of Umno," he said.

He also said that his future was not determined by Tunku Ismail, but by the people who elected him.

"They shouldn't get involved in politics. There is bound to be a reaction by ordinary people like me," he said.

Nazri, however, wished Tunku Ismail a happy birthday and hoped he enjoyed his jet, which he received from his father Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.