FORMER tourism, arts and culture minister Nazri Aziz’s appointment as Malaysia’s envoy to the United States was made by the previous government, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.

Anwar said Nazri’s appointment was made close to one year ago and the US took about six months to confirm it.

“When I came in, I had only to confirm but cancelling it would have caused a lot of problems.

“The US process took a while. When it was settled and I took over, I only asked the king for a brief postponement was because I wanted to assemble my cabinet first and I needed to inform them,” he said.

The prime minister acknowledged the criticisms over the appointment but said those who condemned it should have sought clarification first.

“I can be called out but do ask people to be patient and let me explain without punishing (Nazri) first,” the prime minister said.

Yesterday, two former diplomats criticised the appointment, saying it showed poor judgment on the part Anwar .

Noor Farida Ariffin and Dennis Ignatius said Nazri’s appointment was disappointing.

“It is not fair to career diplomats when they are denied the opportunity for a promotion to ambassador,” Noor Farida, Malaysia’s former envoy to the Netherlands, was quoted as saying in FMT.

“It is poor judgment on the part of the prime minister to nominate Nazri,” she added.

Ignatius, a former Malaysian high commissioner to Canada, also unhappy with the appointment of the former Umno leader.

“Day by day, the prime minister disappoints,” he was quoted as saying.

Previously, Pakatan Harapan (PH) had objected to the naming of politicians as envoys, including Nazri, who had at the time been linked to top diplomatic posts in France, Switzerland and the US.

The Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday the king presented Nazri and nine other new heads of missions with their diplomatic credentials. 

Wisma Putra said Nazri, the former Padang Rengas MP and a graduate of Lincoln’s Inn in the UK, has extensive experience in government.

He has held a number of cabinet portfolios including tourism and culture, and industrial development.

He was also a deputy finance minister and the minister in charge of legal affairs in the Prime Minister’s Department.

It was reported last year that Nazri had backed PKR president Anwar to become prime minister in 2020, saying it was the right thing to do.

At the time, Nazri had defended his and the decision of a number of Umno MPs, to sign declarations of support for Anwar.

Nazri said he had done that out of “love” for Umno and to protect the party from being dissolved. – February 11, 2023.