Monday, April 10, 2023

Be mindful when giving statements, KJ advises Anwar


FMT:

Be mindful when giving statements, KJ advises Anwar


Khairy Jamaluddin says the prime minister’s sentences are sometimes incomplete, leading to confusion and inviting criticism from his opponents.



In a podcast, Khairy Jamaluddin (left) and Shahril Hamdan agreed that the prime minister needs to ensure that his comments are not open to criticism from the opposition.


PETALING JAYA: Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has advised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to be more careful when issuing statements involving sensitive subjects as it could backfire on him.

Khairy said he noticed that sometimes Anwar has a habit of trailing off on a sentence, leaving it incomplete or hanging, before moving on to a new sentence, thus leaving his listeners confused.

This makes it easier for the opposition to “pounce” on his statement.

“It’s better if he can avoid giving statements that are open for attacks.


“I understood the prime minister’s context (when making the statements) but from a strategic communication (perspective) it invites trouble for him,” Khairy said in the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast.

The former Rembau MP was referring to Anwar’s statements on the South China Sea and his reminder for the Malays to stop being comfortable and arrogant.

Khairy suggested that the officers in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) should advise Anwar to be more careful and avoid the usage of incomplete sentences involving sensitive issues, such as race relations and foreign affairs.

Last week, the prime minister said Beijing had expressed concern over Petronas’ activities in an area of the South China Sea which was being claimed by China.

Anwar was reported to have said that Putrajaya was open to holding negotiations with Beijing on the matter “if China feels this is their right”.

His statement drew multiple criticisms from the opposition, especially Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman and former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin who claimed Anwar had indirectly acknowledged China’s claim on an area that officially belonged to Malaysia, adding that Malaysia’s territorial sovereignty must be defended.

The Pagoh MP also said Anwar should be “sterner” in defending Malaysian waters after several Chinese naval vessels were spotted in the area.

Apart from that, during his official visit to Cambodia, the prime minister reminded the Malays not to be comfortable and arrogant, saying that the ethnic group should learn from the Cambodian administration that celebrates Muslims in the country.

This led to Terengganu PAS Youth information chief Irsyad Syafiq Burhanuddin criticising Anwar, stating that the Malays have been “big-hearted enough” to accept the non-Malays in the “sacred Malay land”.

Meanwhile, former Umno Youth deputy chief Shahril Hamdan expressed his admiration for Anwar’s openness when answering questions from the media as well as during the Dewan Rakyat’s prime minister’s question time without referring to any script.

Shahril described the recent controversies involving the prime minister as the side effects of being a statesman who was frank with his comments.

“I’m afraid if this (recent controversies) turned into polemics, his (Anwar’s) speeches will be scripted again.

“We want a leader who can speak directly and not hide behind a script,” he said.


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