KOTA BARU: Deputy Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said certain quarters are trying to divert attention away from Nurul Izzah Anwar's appointment in the government by highlighting the appointments of his and the menteri besar's children to the Kelantan State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC).

Amar said they aimed to smother public debate about Nurul Izzah being made a special economic adviser to her father, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"I actually do not want to comment on the issue anymore as I was informed SEDC already issued its statement on the matter.

"But what I want to explain here is that the appointment processes of Nurul Izzah and our children were different.

"They were hired through normal procedures - by submitting applications and via interviews," he said today.

Nurul Izzah, on the other hand, was appointed directly by her father, he said.

The employment of the Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob and Amar's children in SEDC were raised on social media after opposition politicians accused the prime minister of nepotisim for appointing Nurul Izzah

SEDC had said Yakob's daughter Nor Azma Hilmah and Amar's son Ahmad Mujahid were hired through the "right channels" and based on their qualifications.

Nor Azma is an assistant manager in the legal and integrity department, while Mujahid is an assistant manager in the corporate division.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2023/02/876729/certain-quarters-try-divert-attention-away-nurul-izzahs-appointment