KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Tun Daim Zainuddin said today he had not received any news of his supposed appointment as advisor to the government.
On Thursday, it was reported the 80-year-old was tipped to assist the Pakatan Harapan government for the next few months after the CEP wraps up its work.
“I have not heard about that,” the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) chairman said when met at the Malaysian Student Leaders Summit 2018, here.
Daim had also questioned the criticisms raised over his role and power in the CEP, such as his recent diplomatic trip to China last month, and said there was no harm for him to be representing the federal government.
“Why should they criticise? If the government want me to represent them, there is no harm to it.
“Before this also the PM had always sent me overseas all over places,” he said, referring to the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s past premiership.
On July 23, Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin had called for the disbandment of the CEP if it exceeds its purview, following Daim’s visit to China before Dr Mahathir’s official visit.
The former minister had also cited the orders by the council for former chief justice Tun Md Raus Sharif and former Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin to step down as examples of the council exceeding its responsibility.
Minister in Prime Minister’s department Datuk Liew Vui Keong had in Dewan Rakyat defended the formation of the Council and said Daim had gone to China on the orders of Dr Mahathir.
