The use of the 'First Lady' terminology by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's wife, Rosmah Mansor, does not contradict the prominence of the Permaisuri Agong position.
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has once again reiterated its stand over the adoption of the “First Lady” terminology by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz said there was no designated law for the use of term “First Lady” and was a globally accepted norm.
“It is not in accordance to designated law but rather a convention.
“In the Malaysian context it refers to the wife of the prime minister. This has long been an old international practice,” said Nazri in response to a question in Parliament today.
Asked if the term ‘First Lady’ was to refer to the wife of the Prime Minister or the Permaisuri Agong, Nazri said it was ‘always the Chief Executive’s wife’ who was referred to as the First Lady.
He cited the First Ladies’ activies during the Commenwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The meeting, he said, was attended by the wife of the prime minister and not the Queen. He implied that the term First Lady was not new as such and that it had been ‘historically established’.
“When Dr Mahathir was the prime minister, the First Lady was Dr Siti Hasmah. Even the media called her the best First Lady,” Nazri said.
He added no confusion should arise between the position of the Permaisuri Agung and the First Lady.
“According to the protocol the Permaisuri Agong is given prominence,” he said.
This seems to be a slight deviation from the government’s earlier stand where Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had said the term ‘First Lady” was not used in Malaysia.
The PM had however maintained that the position of the Permaisuri Agong was higher than the ‘First Lady’
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has once again reiterated its stand over the adoption of the “First Lady” terminology by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s wife, Rosmah Mansor.Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz said there was no designated law for the use of term “First Lady” and was a globally accepted norm.
“It is not in accordance to designated law but rather a convention.
“In the Malaysian context it refers to the wife of the prime minister. This has long been an old international practice,” said Nazri in response to a question in Parliament today.
Asked if the term ‘First Lady’ was to refer to the wife of the Prime Minister or the Permaisuri Agong, Nazri said it was ‘always the Chief Executive’s wife’ who was referred to as the First Lady.
He cited the First Ladies’ activies during the Commenwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The meeting, he said, was attended by the wife of the prime minister and not the Queen. He implied that the term First Lady was not new as such and that it had been ‘historically established’.
“When Dr Mahathir was the prime minister, the First Lady was Dr Siti Hasmah. Even the media called her the best First Lady,” Nazri said.
He added no confusion should arise between the position of the Permaisuri Agung and the First Lady.
“According to the protocol the Permaisuri Agong is given prominence,” he said.
This seems to be a slight deviation from the government’s earlier stand where Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had said the term ‘First Lady” was not used in Malaysia.
The PM had however maintained that the position of the Permaisuri Agong was higher than the ‘First Lady’
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