Dr M upset by Nurul’s remark

Picture time: Civil servants crowding Dr Mahathir for wefies after the Prime Minister spoke to them at Wisma Darul Aman in Alor Setar. Mukhriz was also present at the event. — Bernama

ALOR SETAR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is disappointed with the remark by Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar to a Singaporean media that she was dissatisfied with Pakatan Harapan’s governance.

“Tak pa la, dia banyak orang

kecewa. Saya pun kecewa dengan dia orang. (Never mind, many people are disappointed. I am also disappointed with them),” Dr Mahathir said after delivering a special mandate to some 500 civil servants at Dewan Seri Negeri here yesterday.

Dr Mahathir did not elaborate further. He gave this answer following a question from a reporter asking him about the interview where Nurul Izzah told Singapore’s The Straits Times that she was “broken-hearted”, having to once again work with Dr Mahathir.

She added that she would be serving her final term as MP due to her disappointment with the current Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s efforts.

Earlier in Dr Mahathir’s speech, he urged civil servants to knock off any foul practice of corruption in their work and organisation following the launch of the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) in January.

He said materialistic mentality and the desire to acquire wealth quickly should be rejected as such practices will lead to corruption and power abuse.

“History has shown how grand Muslim empires collapsed and were destroyed, which did not start with Muslim enemies but from power abuse and corruption.

“When corruption and power abuse is widespread, the strength of the empire weakens and they were eventually brought down and conquered by the enemy,” he said.

The NACP addresses six key priority areas namely political governance, public sector administration, public procurement, legal and judicial, law enforcement and corporate governance.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir also led some 500 civil servants at the ceremony to pledge against corruption before signing the integrity and anti-corruption pledge witnessed by Malay­sian Anti-Corruption Commis­sion (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull.

Also present was Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Cen­tre (GIACC) director-general Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed.