KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he chose former Universiti Utara Malaysia lecturer Kamarul Zaman Yusoff as a special officer due to the latter’s experience and expertise.
According to national news agency Bernama, the PM said he was confident in the controversial political analyst’s ability to perform in the role.
“[Kamarul] is experienced in the area for which we chose him... I believe he will execute his duties as a special officer for policy matters,” he was quoted as saying.
“I choose those whom I think are qualified, so it does not matter if others disagree, we have made our own evaluation.”
Earlier today, Malaysiakini reported Kamarul as confirming his appointment as Ismail’s aide, after the matter was inadvertently leaked in a poster online.
The former academic also said he was been a special officer since December.
Kamarul Zaman made the news earlier this year when Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh sued him for defamation over his 2017 Facebook post in which he claimed she was proselytising Christianity through her politics.
He had also lodged a police report against Yeoh’s biography, Becoming Hannah: A Personal Journey, calling it a "Christian agenda”.
Last year, Kamarul Zaman reportedly accused Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim of "Christianisation” and warned other Malay-Muslims against accepting aid from "Christian evangelists” following Sim’s aid to a Malay youth.
Kamarul Zaman also wrote an article titled "Beza antara bantuan Melayu Islam dan bantuan Cina Kristian" that Christian Chinese only post about their good deeds towards Malay-Muslims for publicity, and compared Sim’s actions with those of PAS lawmaker Datuk Awang Hashim as both of them bought a motorcycle for a separate delivery rider.
