DAIM Zainuddin said there was no harm in the government sending him to China as an emissary.

The Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) chairman questioned why criticisms were made on his visit.

“Why should they criticise? If the government wants me to represent them, no harm to it,” he told reporters at the sideline of a gathering of students at the Malaysian Student Leaders Summit XII in Kuala Lumpur today.

He also said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had always sent him abroad when he was in the government previously.

“I mean, before this also, the prime minister always sent me overseas, all over places,” he added.

Last month, Daim met Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi in Beijing to strengthen bilateral ties following Putrajaya’s move to suspend the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project.

The former finance minister met Li to deliver a letter from Dr Mahathir.

Former Umno Youth chief and Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin questioned the visit in Dewan Rakyat, and said CEP should be dissolved if it continues to act beyond its role as an advisory body.

He also said the people need to know the contents of the discussion Daim had with Chinese leaders.

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah then said things were moving in the right direction after the meeting between Daim and the Chinese leaders was held.

Saifuddin stressed that Malaysia is committed to honouring its commitments and hopes to maintain good ties with China. – August 11, 2018.