Be truthful about targeting Kuok, Nazri tells Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has urged Datuk Seri Najib Razak to come clean over the public attacks made against business tycoon Robert Kuok during the former Barisan Nasional administration.

Nazri claimed that Kuok became the target on Najib's instruction and urged the former premier to be truthful.

“Whatever he (Najib) said, I follow-lah. I have always been a street fighter. That’s my kind of language,” Nazri said to reporters at Parliament lobby on Tuesday (July 16).

“I have nothing to do with Kuok. You think I just woke up one morning and decided to make public attacks against Kuok,” added Nazri.

Earlier in Parliament, Najib told reporters that Kuok was never a target of attacks during the Barisan administration.

Najib said there was no reason for him to attack Kuok as he regarded the 95-year-old as a family friend for many years.

The war of words between the two party colleagues erupted after Najib said he was told by MCA that the decline in Chinese support was partly due to Nazri’s disparaging remarks against Kuok.

The Padang Rengas MP has since denied the allegations made by Najib, saying that the decline in Chinese support towards Barisan had begun long before the attacks against Kuok.

In another matter, Nazri said that he would remain in Umno, while pledging support for PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a personal capacity.

He added that he would support Anwar by being a Member of the Parliamentary caucus on reform and governance, which was chaired by the Port Dickson MP.

“We want to do the best for Malaysia. I have experience as a minister in charge of Parliament. I want to do the best for the country,” said Nazri.