It said the fact that Nurul Izzah Anwar was not taking a salary for her role is irrelevant.
C4 deputy CEO Sudhagaran Stanley said Anwar was setting a wrong precedent.
“Now, other ministers might do the same and appoint their daughters or family members to lead important portfolios.
“Where do we draw the line? This is surely not a good governance practice.
“There needs to be transparency in the political appointment process and the selection (of appointees) must follow the best practices,” he said in a statement.
Sudhagaran said the qualifications, application and selection process needed to be made public so every interested individual would have a chance to apply for the job.
“Surely the prime minister, or any minister for that matter, would want the best, most qualified person to be on his team. But how do we achieve this when there is no room for the public to apply for such positions?
“How can we be sure that Nurul Izzah is the most qualified person for that job?” he said.
Saying there was already an economic affairs minister in the Cabinet, Sudhagaran wondered if Nurul Izzah’s appointment would cause conflict.
“Who would the prime minister listen to? His daughter or the economic affairs minister?
“By appointing family members, civil servants are not going to be convinced that this government is serious in its reform agenda, and it sends a troubling signal,” he said.
However, Kebun Bunga assemblyman Jason Ong defended Nurul Izzah’s appointment, calling it “great news for all Malaysians”.
“Only those who are corrupt would be opposed to her appointment. Nurul Izzah is a trustworthy person who can carry out any responsibilities placed upon her by the prime minister to ensure that the country is stable and in good hands.
“Pakatan Harapan and PKR members can all attest to her abilities and capabilities as a leader and to be a friend to everyone.
“She is well-qualified and well-suited for the job. Above all, she did not accept this position to get rich, like all other politicians,” Ong said.
Yesterday, Anwar had defended Nurul Izzah’s appointment, saying it was made based on her qualifications.
He said Nurul Izzah had a degree in engineering and another degree in public and social policy from Johns Hopkins University in the US.