Umno supreme council Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has hailed the withdrawal of police escort for former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, saying it should have been done long ago.
Nazri, who is also tourism minister, said this is because Mahathir has been using police outriders to escort him to anti-government functions.
“He brought it upon himself. I don’t think he should get escorts as he is bashing the government that is providing him this privilege.
“It (the withdrawal) should have been done long ago,” he told journalists after visiting Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Buntal in Kuching today.
Nazri added the government had provided police escorts to Mahathir for his safety but the former premier instead chose to put himself in danger.
The withdrawal of Mahathir’s escort, effective April 28, was first revealed by veteran newsman A Kadir Jasin.
This is the self-same Mr Nazri who accepted a massive Hummer from Sabah’s convicted timber crook, Michael Chia, for his thuggish son to ride around KL with his own bodyguards inside.
After all, Nazri played a crucial ministerial role in keeping the heat off Chia’s money-laundering boss, Musa Aman, for whom he ran a raft of off-shore companies transferring timber kickbacks to Musa’s Swiss bank accounts at UBS.
Definitely worth a car and more for Mr Nasri!
As for Dr Mahathir’s escort. Most former political leaders retain protection and drivers to maintain security – and possibly also as a token of respect.
But, Mr Nazri clearly feels no need to show respect.
He is happy to be cheeky to his elders and ignore the protocols – and even to claim that Malaysia’s longest-serving former leader ought be denied his basic right to freedom of speech, if he criticises criminal behaviour and graft of the kind being indulged in on world record levels by Mr Nazri and his gang.