Akmal childish and low-minded: Nazri

Akmal childish and low-minded: Nazri

B Nantha Kumar
Published: Feb 24, 2025 2:01 PM
Updated: 5:13 PM


Summary

• Umno veteran Nazri Abdul Aziz says the party’s youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh was childish to accuse him of being a bootlicker.

• Nazri says Akmal failed to rebut his assertion that the youth chief is a minority voice in Umno and among Malay Muslims, adding that PAS is now the dominant voice for Malays.

• The former ambassador to the US adds that Akmal was a fool to suggest he be designated as an envoy to Myanmar.

Former acting Umno Youth chief Nazri Abdul Aziz has chided current office bearer Dr Akmal Saleh as being childish.

This is after Akmal - in response to earlier derision by Nazri - implied the latter was a sycophant.

Nazri, the former Malaysian ambassador to the US, told Malaysiakini that the insult came because the current Umno Youth chief could not counter his argument that the latter only represented a minority of Umno and Malays.

“Akmal’s response to my statement shows a childish attitude and low-mindedness. His response did not properly address what I said.

“I said that he does not represent the Malays or Umno itself. He should have countered my statement with the right facts instead of calling me a ‘bootlicker’. Is that the kind of reaction expected from a youth chief?” said the senior Umno leader.

Nazri sarcastically added that if he was a boot licker, Akmal would benefit and might even become a Malacca government exco member.

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh

Previously, Nazri told Malaysiakini that he would focus on supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim upon his return from the US to ensure the PKR president remains in Putrajaya after the 16th general election.

This is because of the lack of potential candidates to succeed Anwar, he said.

Asked if the lack of successors to replace the prime minister extended to Umno as well, Nazri said: “(Can) you tell me who? Akmal? You tell me who."

In a jab at Akmal, Nazri pointed out that the Merlimau assemblyperson represents only “one quarter” out of four Umno wings, thus, the latter’s views on various issues should not be regarded as a majority voice.

‘PAS now the dominant Malay-Muslim voice’

When asked today why he believed Akmal did not represent the majority voice of the Malays and Muslims, Nazri replied that PAS had become the dominant party among Malay and Muslim voters.

“If you want to talk about who truly represents the Malay-Muslim voice now, it’s PAS. PAS governs four Muslim-majority states - Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, and Terengganu.

“In Parliament, PAS holds far more Malay-majority seats compared to Umno. That’s why I said Akmal is not the majority voice,” he said.

Nazri also compared how Akmal and PAS handled the “Allah” socks issue.

“PAS managed the sock issue well without causing racial tensions, unlike Akmal and Umno Youth,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, Nazri also ridiculed Akmal for suggesting that he might become Malaysia’s ambassador to Myanmar.

“To me, this is a very low standard. For comparison, being an ambassador to the US is the highest position in the Foreign Ministry.

“So, only a fool would think that after being an ambassador to the US, I would be sent to Myanmar. Maybe he wants the job,” he added.

Nazri returned to Malaysia after his contract as ambassador to the US expired.