Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak denies attacking ‘family friend’ Robert Kuok, Hong Kong tycoon, during time in power
- Najib was responding to comments made on Monday by former tourism minister Nazri Aziz, who said he had been under orders to insult Kuok
- Before last May’s general election, Nazri called the 95-year-old sugar and cooking oil magnate a ‘coward’ who was ‘hiding behind a wall in Hong Kong’
Najib was responding to comments by former tourism minister Nazri Aziz, who on Monday said he insulted Kuok under Najib’s orders – an assertion the former leader has denied.
“It was a complete misunderstanding. He [Kuok] has been a family friend for years with my parents and I know his children as well,” Najib said on Tuesday outside parliament as he addressed the row with Nazri, which was sparked after he blamed declining support by Chinese-Malaysians for his then-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition government on Nazri’s condemnation of Kuok.
Najib said his past comments on the business magnate’s wealth were meant to illustrate a larger point about how all Malaysian tycoons had been able to amass their fortunes because of the favourable conditions provided by Barisan Nasional, The Star reported.