Editor’s note: Senior press secretary to the Prime Minister Tunku Nashrul Abaidah has confirmed that Datuk Wan Nurzila Wan Abd Rahman has ended her stint as the media and strategic communications director at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
“The Media and Strategic Communications Division reiterates its commitment in delivering the Malaysia Madani agenda and disseminating information related to all efforts and initiatives of the unity government,” he noted in a brief statement.
It is learnt that the post will be decommissioned with all PMO communications being handled by the team of press secretaries.
SPECULATIONS are rife that Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim may have to reshuffle his communications machinery ahead of the upcoming state polls following “a 24-hour termination notice” served on the PM’s Media and Strategic Communications Division director Datuk Wan Nurzila Abd Rahman on Wednesday (May 3).
According to sources cited by Malay news portal Suara TV, Wan Nurzila was ‘dismissed’ following a crisis between several communication factions within the PM’s machinery which led “to the ineffectiveness of the Malaysia Madani campaign”.
“PM Anwar is now facing criticism from the people following the confusion of policies and an unconvincing approach in implementing policies for the country,” reported SuaraTV.
“Additionally, the crisis between the PMO and the Community Communications Department (J-KOM) is said to be one of the main reasons for the termination of Wan Nurzila’s duties. PMO and J-KOM are seen to be on different directions, thus further weakening he government’s image.”
Elaborating further, the news portal said J-KOM’s director-general Datuk Dr Mohammad Agus Yusoff had to come forward in recent times to defend himself from the allegation of being the PM’s “cybertrooper”.
“While in the PM’s political circle, Agus is said to have problems with the PM’s senior political secretary Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin and Nurul Izzah Anwar (who is currently the co-head of the Advisory Committee to the Finance Minister),” revealed Suara TV.
Meanwhile, Agus has reportedly claimed that he has no knowledge of Wan Nurzila’s termination.
“I have nothing to comment on for I’m unaware of the matter given that we are in different departments,” he told another Malay news portal Majoriti. “At this juncture, I really have no clue over her status so we just have to wait and see.”
In the meantime, Majoriti said efforts to get Wan Nurzila who was a former Bernama journalist and ex-press secretary to two Cabinet ministers to comment on her status had been futile and likewise, the press secretary in her department has been tight-lipped on the matter. – May 5, 2023
