"Nazri, if there is a salary, it isn't voluntary. Voluntary mean no pay"

Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz's move to change his son's post in the Tourism Ministry website has yet to stem criticism of nepotism in the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

Now, pro-Umno bloggers are hammering Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for not laying down the law or showing concern that such appointments will go down badly with public.

These criticisms are coming from those close to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, such as former Information Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin and Syed Akbar Ali, who heads a bloggers group.

Nazri has been unpopular with this Umno faction after his riposte of Dr Mahathir when the former prime minister criticised his successor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Nazri's son Nedim's appointment as special officer in the ministry and now as aide to the Padang Rengas MP, has given them the ammunition to hit out at the Tourism Minister.

In his blog Zamkata, Zainuddin put it succinctly, "This matter is adding more problems to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib whose popularity is falling further after the 13th general election although he is the party's popular choice.

"Nazri is talking proudly and arrogantly, giving the impression that no one has the right to drop him as a minister. Won't this lead people to think 'oh, he's invincible, he is Najib's man'," Zainuddin added in his posting.

Blogger Syed Akbar Ali was more scathing in criticising Nazri for putting his son in the ministry.

"First of all Nazri is once again talking through his @$$. He says his son works on a volunteer basis or 'secara sukarela'. In the same breath, he says his son is paid a salary.

"If there is a salary, that isn't voluntary. Doesn't matter who pay his salary. If there is a salary, it isn't voluntary. Voluntary mean no pay," he said in his blog posting.

But Syed Akbar reserved his vitriol over the matter for Najib, saying the latest incident was a sign for the prime minister to step down from office.

"Folks, let's not waste time. The time has come for Umno members to ask the party president and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to be gone. Undur Dato Sri. Your time is up," Syed Akbar said.

He wrote that Najib's father, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, was a great leader who saved the country from turmoil in the 1960s.

"This nation does not realise how much gratitude it owes your father for his leadership and his greatness.

"But your time as leader and prime minister is now up. Tempoh Dato Sr sudah habis. Do the right thing and withdraw now. Each extra day that you prolong yourself as party president and prime minister is just more torture for the country, our people, the party and yourself.

"There is no need for you to try to be clever anymore. Obviously that is not your forte. You must now show greatness – be kind to you people. Please step down," said Syed Akbar, who is known for not mincing his words when Abdullah was in power. - TMI