Appointing Tun M as SG4 adviser a right move - Zuraida

SHAH ALAM - The appointment of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the unofficial adviser to four state governments administered by Pas or state-government four (SG4) should be celebrated by all parties, including government leaders, taking into account his statesmanship.

Muafakat Nasional (MN) deputy president Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said the decision by Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis to appoint the former Langkawi MP was seen as an appropriate move.

"It is only proper that the appointment of Dr Mahathir be celebrated by all parties and not criticised or linked to the never-ending political disputes in the country.

"The rationale behind this proposal is to position him to connect these four states with investors from countries like Japan and South Korea, with whom he has very good relations with.

"Clearly, the appointment of Dr Mahathir is not a political move but more focused on allowing these four states to access investments from other advanced Asian countries, which will have a positive impact on state development.

"In my opinion, this is a very appropriate step because to date Dr Mahathir still wields international influence as he has close ties not only with advanced Asian countries but also with European, Arab, African and Latin American countries," she said in a statement today.

Last Thursday, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar announced that Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis were in the process of forming a 'group of four states,' with Dr Mahathir appointed as an unofficial advisor.

Following that, various parties have offered their views on the appointment of Dr Mahathir by these four states.

Meanwhile, Zuraida, in the statement criticised the negative response given by some government leaders regarding the appointment which linked it to political issues.

She emphasised that Dr Mahathir's global recognition should be acknowledged by providing him a platform to offer advice and insights because he has experience not only in formulating effective state economic policies but also in analysing the increasingly complex global political scenarios.

"We have already gone through general elections and state elections, in which federal and state leaders have been given mandates by the people.

"As a nation, we should no longer dwell on petty political issues and now, we should focus on socio-economic development without bias," she said.