Nazri has suitable personality to become ambassador to US, says Zahid

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says Nazri Aziz has the suitable personality to be named the Malaysian ambassador to the US as he will be able to forge closer ties between the two countries. 

The Umno president also expressed his belief that the former Padang Rengas MP could strengthen cooperation between Malaysia and the US in various fields.

"Because we have had several previous ambassadors, including Jamaluddin Mohd Jarjis and Awang Adek Hussin who forged relations between the US and the Malaysian government, establishing not only business-to-business, peer-to-peer. 

"For Umno, what is important is to strengthen the government-to-government (ties) between the US and the Malaysian government," he said when asked about Nazri’s appointment at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. 

He said that Nazri could arrange and organise meetings between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the US government as well as corporate leaders during the prime minister’s official visit to the US.
 
On Thursday, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah bestowed letters of appointment to 10 Malaysian chief diplomatic representatives, including Nazri.

Anwar said that Nazri’s appointment was approved by the previous administration while Zahid said yesterday that the appointment was not based on Umno's recommendation, but on former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's during his tenure as prime minister.