Kadir resigns as head of CEP’s communications unit

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk A. Kadir Jasin has resigned as Head of Media and Communications of the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) with immediate effect.

He said the decision was solely personal in order to avoid further confusion among members of the public regarding his role in the council and his views expressed in his blog and weekly column in the Sinar Harian newspaper.

“I have been diligently stating in the preamble of my blog post that whatever views expressed therein were entirely mine.

“I was writing in my personal capacity as a blogger and had nothing to do whatsoever with whatever position I might hold.

“Unfortunately, that did not stop journalists and others quoting from the blog from stating that I am Head of Media and Communications of the Council of Eminent Persons,” Bernama quoted him as saying in a statement here yesterday.

Thus, to avoid embarrassment to the council and any possible conflict of interest on his part, Kadir said that he had offered his resignation and was accepted by the chairman of the council, Tun Daim Zainuddin.

He thanked Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Daim for their trust and confidence in him and staff of the Media and Communications Unit for their dili gence and hard work.

Headed by former finance minister Daim, the CEP also includes former Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former Petronas CEO Tan Sri Hassan Marican, renowned economist Prof Jomo Kwame Sundaram and business tycoon Robert Kuok.

Kadir came under fire for his recent views on the Yang diPertuan Agong.

The veteran newsman, who is also a Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia supreme council member, wrote that some RM257mil was spent for the upkeep and personal expenditure of Sultan Muhammad V in the 16 months since he became the Yang diPertuan Agong.

His blog post was also criticised by PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who said: “While I support democracy and freedom of expression, what was said was inappropriate.”