Nazri: Not all ministers clever

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department was in Kota Kinabalu yesterday and speakingto reporters, he said not all ministers are clever.

The full reports by Bernama is reproduced below.

KOTA KINABALU: Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz says it is foolish of some Umno leaders to ask Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign.
Saying that they did not seem to understand what democracy meant, he said it was not proper for Umno leaders to press Abdullah to relinquish his posts as prime minister and Umno president as it would mean denying the rights of the people who had voted for Barisan Nasional (BN) to govern the nation.

"In last month's election, the people elected the BN to be the majority in parliament with 140 seats, which entitles the leader of the BN to become the prime minister.

"This means the people, knowing that the BN is entering the election with Pak Lah as the BN's leader, were aware that if the BN won the most seats, then Pak Lah would become the prime minister.

"By asking Pak Lah to step down, they are actually telling the voters: 'Look, you can't have Pak Lah as prime minister.' What right do they have to say that?" he said.

Nazri said it was wrong for the Umno members to ask Abdullah to step down and urged them to stop.

He also said the party should concentrate on governing the country and keep the promises made to the people before they lose their support.

"I think what the rakyat wants now is for us to start governing the country.

"They are tired of being told what to do. Now they want us to govern, not Umno telling them that Pak Lah is not fit to be prime minister," he said.

Asked on his opinions of some ministers who had also urged Abdullah to step down, Nazri said: "Just because they are ministers, it doesn't mean they know everything. Not all ministers are clever.

"But why are you surprised about what the ministers said? The former prime minister also said the same thing. This might make me unpopular, but I think I'm right." -- Bernama