Tengku Azlan and Anifah decline deputy minister’s post

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s new administrative line-up suffered an early hiccup with two deputy ministers declining their posts.
Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar and Datuk Anifah Aman met with the Prime Minister at Sri Perdana in Putrajaya to decline their new postings after the Cabinet line-up announcement yesterday.
Tengku Azlan when contacted last night confirmed that he had declined the Deputy Foreign Minister’s post since “I have not moved up the ladder”.
“I was a deputy minister for two terms and since I cannot go any further, I feel it is time to move on.
“It is a normal reaction for anybody to look elsewhere when they are not going anywhere,” he said. Tengku Azlan previously served as the Deputy Transport Minister.
Tengku Azlan also said it was time for him to concentrate on other things, including serving his constituents in Jerantut.
“I am happy to perhaps venture into business and serve the people in my constituency,” he added.
Asked what was the Prime Minister’s reaction to his rejection of the post, Tengku Azlan said Abdullah respected his decision.
“There is no need for me to send any letter. I just have to inform him that I decline the post,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anifah, who was to be appointed as Deputy Tansport Minister, told Bernama:
“I have already been a Deputy Minister for two terms and I feel it’s time for me to make way for a younger person to hold this post.”
Anifah, 54, refused to state other reasons for his decision.
“I thank the prime minister for appointing me but I have decided not to accept it,” said Anifah, who was previously Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities.

tunku : i guess tengku azlan did the right thing.mohd taib should have not been made a minister.