Adam Adli hits out at Syed Saddiq for calling unity govt ‘Nato’

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim (pic) has hit out at Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman for calling the unity government a “Nato (no action, talk only) government”.

In a Facebook post Tuesday (Sept 19), Adam Adli said all three matters raised by the Muar MP, namely allocations for the Opposition, asset declarations by Cabinet ministers and the dismissal of ongoing corruption trials, had been explained many times either inside or outside Parliament.

On asset declarations, he said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had expressed his firm stand on the matter since January and ordered that a more transparent and comprehensive mechanism be created, rather than just a declaration without a specific format.

“Not just in a press statement, it was also agreed upon at the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption (JKKMAR) meeting Series 17 Bil. 1 of 2023 which was chaired by the Prime Minister himself last July,” said Adam Adli.

On the court decision to grant a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of his corruption charges, the Hang Tuah Jaya MP said it was explained in detail by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said in Parliament on Monday (Sept 18).

“The decision to drop the court case, which, I am sure, refers to the TPM (Deputy Prime Minister) case, has been answered in detail in Parliament by Yang Berhormat Azalina in her capacity as minister of law and institutional reform, while stressing the government’s commitment to the separation of powers between the Attorney-General and the Public Prosecutor.

“In fact, the decision to grant a DNAA to TPM has also been brought to the attention of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee, and will be answered by the Prime Minister himself in the Dewan Rakyat today,” he said.

As for allocations for Opposition MPs, Adam Adli said that the the government has repeatedly reminded the Opposition to initiate negotiations about the matter.

“On the ‘Nato government’, it would be better for Syed Saddiq not to just reflect on issues according to his taste.

“Look at the welfare policies under Budget 2023 and ongoing initiatives to eradicate hardcore poverty, resolve the people’s problems, and basic needs including schools and healthcare facilities, clean water supply, post-pandemic economic recovery, and the energy transition that will soon begin,” he added.

In the meantime, Adam Adli, who is also the Angkatan Muda Keadilan chief, also lashed out at Bersatu Youth (Armada) chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, who is also a Machang MP, for claiming that the government is practicing “pork barrel politics”.

“I’m not sure where the idea of pork barrel politics came from, when his constituency, Machang, is one of the areas that also received a large allocation of RM1.44bil for Kelantan in the form of basic infrastructure such as roads and bridges.

“This does not include the government’s commitment to solve the water supply issues (in Kelantan), which also reaches a billion ringgit,” he said. – Bernama