Ministers, MPs allowed to use family members as aides - PM

Ministers or members of Parliament (MPs) can use members of their families to be their aides or special officers in their respective parliamentary constituencies, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister said they could do so as long as government funds were not used and they did not interfere in ministerial matters.

"This is the principle, also the family member cannot be placed at the minister's office," he told reporters at his Aidilfitri open house in Taman Tasik Abu Bakar here today.

On the same subject involving the son of Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, the prime minister said Mohamed Nazri had explained to him that his son Muhammad Nedim was only assisting him in carrying out duties as a special officer on a voluntary basis in his Padang Rengas parliamentary constituency.

"So, no government funds are used to cover the work done by his son which is solely on a voluntary basis," said Najib.

Asked about the opposition politicising the issue, Najib said the opposition were actually seen to be worse than the issues they raise.

"I understand there are worse practices than this by opposition leaders, but it is up to other parties to determine this," he said.

Meanwhile, commenting on bringing back Malaysian students and workers in Egypt, Najib said the government would make the necessary logistical preparations if the situation there got worse.

"We will have no other choice but to bring our citizens back, especially students because safety is paramount," he said.

More than 100 people were reportedly killed in a crackdown by the Egyptian military when dispersing supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo on Wednesday.