KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak used the government’s updates on the movement control order today to ridicule Federal Territories Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Edmund Santhara Kumar who is holidaying in New Zealand.

The former prime minister did so while summarising Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s announcement that the MCO would be lifted on March 4, with states still under the order to be downgraded to the CMCO.

"Inter-district travel is allowed except in Sabah. Inter-state travel remains prohibited.

"International travel, especially to New Zealand, is only allowed for those with the rank of deputy minister and above who apply in writing to the PM,” he wrote on Facebook.

After news reports emerged that he was outside of Malaysia, Edmund issued a statement yesterday confirming that he has been holidaying in New Zealand since December.

However, he insisted that his 55 days’ leave was approved by the Prime Minister’s Department and that his exit from the country followed the procedures set out by the Immigration Department.

Edmund said he was in New Zealand to visit his wife and son, justifying the break by saying he had not taken any leave since his appointment in March of 2020.