Nazri explains his silence during meeting with Mahathir

I guess the only reason that Nazri kept silent because he did not get the “Foot in the Mouth” attach and must have taken his medication ( Photo of Najib to remind him to engage his brain first before opening the mouth to talk first ) .

Nazri explains his silence during meeting with Mahathir

Tarrence Tan

 | March 26, 2017

The tourism and culture minister says he was following etiquette and waiting for the elderly former prime minister to talk first during their encounter in Kuala Kangsar yesterday.

PETALING JAYA: Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz today said the awkward silence during his encounter yesterday with Dr Mahathir Mohamad was due to his respect for the former premier.

Nazri explained the standard etiquette during Mahathir’s tenure as prime minister was that “you don’t speak to him unless he speaks to you first”.

“Those were the days when he was the prime minister. I was quite used to that and so I waited for him to speak to me.

“But he didn’t say anything until the end. It’s because of that, Mahathir said I was silent,” he told FMT when contacted.

Nazri then added that Mahathir wasn’t friendly at all during their encounter.

“He wasn’t warm at all. He was concentrating on his food. But I wanted to respect him because he looked so frail. So, I just kept quiet.”

The duo was spotted at a small stall in Kuala Kangsar yesterday, where they had met over a bowl of cendol and laksa.

At the same time, Nazri also said upon his arrival, one of Mahathir’s aides attempted to prevent the duo from meeting.

“Even though one of his aides tried to take Mahathir away from me, I just went there and shook his hand.

“We then went to a gazebo by the river and I sat beside him after his aide cleared a seat for me.”

The Padang Rengas MP also thought that the debate, which was scheduled to be held on April 7 in Shah Alam, would be the best avenue to channel their respective views.

“I thought that if there’s anything that needs to be said, it should be said on the 7th, not there.”

Nazri had accepted Mahathir’s challenge to a public debate over the 1MDB and Bumiputra Malaysia Finance controversies, as well as the RM2.6 billion donation from the Saudi royal family.

The debate was originally supposed to be held at the Mara Junior College hall in Kuala Kangsar yesterday, but this was scrapped after police rejected the venue.

The debate will now be held on April 7 at the Karangkraf Complex in Section 15, Shah Alam.