Malaysiakini:
A cabinet of misfits
by R Nadeswaran
COMMENT | In the Indian Parliamentary elections in 2014, one-third or 185 of the 542 winning candidates had criminal cases against them. They (never attempted to hide them) declared that they had been charged for among others murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, crimes against women, and communal disharmony. They occupy both sides of the divide in the House.
The same cannot be said about our members of Parliament. All had been declared “clean” by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). The definition of “clean” in this context is that he or she has not been charged or convicted for any criminal offence.
There are some MPs and even cabinet ministers who under a cloud – investigations into their lapses are ongoing. And if the MACC is allowed to proceed with the prosecution, those involved will fall by the wayside. I know this for a fact because I have personal knowledge and had helped the authorities in their investigations.
It is said that to get into politics, there is no entry point or qualification. To rise in the political arena, one must be loyal to the party elders and undertake overt and covert operations on the instructions of the boss. From “getting the boys” to being a “bag carrier” and from getting posters printed to getting them stuck on lamp posts, he or she must have done it all. In short, he or she must be a lackey or for want of a better word, crony.
The rewards – not necessarily monetary – are immeasurable. To even be the cheerleader for the incumbent is a privilege accorded to a few as events over the years have shown.
In Singapore, those in the corporate sector are identified by the ruling party, interviewed and persuaded to become candidates. Hence, the quality can be seen in their performance both in and out of Parliament.
The same cannot be said about our parliamentarians who come with varied backgrounds and some are plucked from oblivion to join the hustings. Academic qualifications, common sense and intimate knowledge of issues are seldom the criteria.
Hence, the quality or lack of it can be seen in the Dewan Rakyat and sometimes in the Dewan Negara. Some are there for the sake of creating the din and noise and to a certain extent to raise their hands in approval or oppose proposals as and when the situation demands.
A quick inspection of the Hansard will reveal among others, their sparse attendance and their failure to take part in debates. The only time they spoke was when reading the number of the question they had submitted: "Tuan Speaker Soalan Nombor Tiga.”
It has been just over a month since the Perikatan Nasional came into power and the competency – more the lack of it – is in the public domain for all to see and read.
We have seen ministers falling all over trying to compete for the dubious title of the best-of-the-worst title. The health minister has advocated (over national television) that drinking air suam (warm water) kills the coronavirus.
The housing minister was seen in a “Telly Tubby” suit with dozens of firemen cleaning the streets. Video footage, however, showed two firemen at the task with the minister and the others watching this whole spectacle.
The same cannot be said about our members of Parliament. All had been declared “clean” by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). The definition of “clean” in this context is that he or she has not been charged or convicted for any criminal offence.
There are some MPs and even cabinet ministers who under a cloud – investigations into their lapses are ongoing. And if the MACC is allowed to proceed with the prosecution, those involved will fall by the wayside. I know this for a fact because I have personal knowledge and had helped the authorities in their investigations.
It is said that to get into politics, there is no entry point or qualification. To rise in the political arena, one must be loyal to the party elders and undertake overt and covert operations on the instructions of the boss. From “getting the boys” to being a “bag carrier” and from getting posters printed to getting them stuck on lamp posts, he or she must have done it all. In short, he or she must be a lackey or for want of a better word, crony.
The rewards – not necessarily monetary – are immeasurable. To even be the cheerleader for the incumbent is a privilege accorded to a few as events over the years have shown.
In Singapore, those in the corporate sector are identified by the ruling party, interviewed and persuaded to become candidates. Hence, the quality can be seen in their performance both in and out of Parliament.
The same cannot be said about our parliamentarians who come with varied backgrounds and some are plucked from oblivion to join the hustings. Academic qualifications, common sense and intimate knowledge of issues are seldom the criteria.
Hence, the quality or lack of it can be seen in the Dewan Rakyat and sometimes in the Dewan Negara. Some are there for the sake of creating the din and noise and to a certain extent to raise their hands in approval or oppose proposals as and when the situation demands.
A quick inspection of the Hansard will reveal among others, their sparse attendance and their failure to take part in debates. The only time they spoke was when reading the number of the question they had submitted: "Tuan Speaker Soalan Nombor Tiga.”
It has been just over a month since the Perikatan Nasional came into power and the competency – more the lack of it – is in the public domain for all to see and read.
We have seen ministers falling all over trying to compete for the dubious title of the best-of-the-worst title. The health minister has advocated (over national television) that drinking air suam (warm water) kills the coronavirus.
The housing minister was seen in a “Telly Tubby” suit with dozens of firemen cleaning the streets. Video footage, however, showed two firemen at the task with the minister and the others watching this whole spectacle.
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just in case you don't know who she is, do check label on her forehead However, she looks better in her hazmat suit, wakakaka |
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someone else |
The deputy women’s affairs minister has dished out advice to women as if she was the official spokesperson for the Obedient Wives Club! And the riposte from aggrieved women’s organisations and individuals is still reverberating as this article is being written.
Yet, another minister was keen on cleaning our sewerage system to get rid of the coronavirus! But the minister of higher education takes the cake. She had launched a Tik-Tok competition only to abandon it and run with her tail between her legs when it imploded.
Meritocracy and competency had never featured in cabinet appointments or even appointments in the civil service. Ministers in the previous government were also stumbling and fumbling in the initial stages but their shortcomings were a far shadow from the antics of some of the present lot.
Where do we go from here? You can’t change the mind-sets of some people who are fixated on issues based on religion, race and creed – not fact. A few are obsessed in making hay while the sun shines through grandiose ideas and plans which bring little or no benefit to the rakyat.
Surely, their schooling, upbringing and experience would not have allowed these incidents to take place unless of course, they have none of the above.
Could the cabinet secretary publish the curriculum vitae (CV) of all ministers and their deputies? Perhaps, then there will be some sympathy because people would say: “What to expect? He didn’t even finish secondary school” or “She was just selling cempedak goreng by the roadside when she was pulled out from obscurity to the forefront.”
Can a crash course or an induction into systems, governance and communication help? Not likely. One commentator on social media gave a broad hint: “Right brain is not working and the left brain is empty.”
Perhaps a bit too punitive but if the bumbling, blundering and nonsensical acts and omission continue, be prepared for even harsher judgments from the people.
R NADESWARAN has never seen such acts of stupidity from some of our ministers. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com
Where do we go from here? You can’t change the mind-sets of some people who are fixated on issues based on religion, race and creed – not fact. A few are obsessed in making hay while the sun shines through grandiose ideas and plans which bring little or no benefit to the rakyat.
Surely, their schooling, upbringing and experience would not have allowed these incidents to take place unless of course, they have none of the above.
Could the cabinet secretary publish the curriculum vitae (CV) of all ministers and their deputies? Perhaps, then there will be some sympathy because people would say: “What to expect? He didn’t even finish secondary school” or “She was just selling cempedak goreng by the roadside when she was pulled out from obscurity to the forefront.”
Can a crash course or an induction into systems, governance and communication help? Not likely. One commentator on social media gave a broad hint: “Right brain is not working and the left brain is empty.”
Perhaps a bit too punitive but if the bumbling, blundering and nonsensical acts and omission continue, be prepared for even harsher judgments from the people.
R NADESWARAN has never seen such acts of stupidity from some of our ministers. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com
Following in the footsteps of Menteri Air Suam (MBBS Universiti Malaya) we now have Dr Afif Bahardi (MBBS Universiti Technologi MARA).
ReplyDeleteObviously he wants out of PKR so is sucking up to the Menteri Char Kwat for a post in PN.....
Really, what kind of STEM graduates are we producing?
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Talked About.org
April 12, 2020
COVID19 – Haircuts essential as they reduce blood pressure, says Afif!
Dr. Afif Bahardin, still of PKR and strongly aligned to International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali, offered this justification as to the ministry’s lifting of the Movement Control Order (MCO) on barber shops.
JUST as the dust began to settle on the steady flow of jokes and troll ammunition provided by the Perikatan Nasional government ministers and their deputies, Dr Afif Bahardin, the Seberang Jaya assemblyman comes to the fore.
“Barber services have their justification from the aspect of medical research carried out by the New England Journal of Medicine, which explains that such services can reduce blood pressure levels; one of the pressures faced by Malaysians at this moment,” read his third point in his Twitter thread posted yesterday.
Afif however, failed to Tweet any explanations as to whether the reduction in blood pressure levels via haircuts would also form any defense against Covid 19.
This came in response to Healthy Department director general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah calling for barbers to abstain from providing their services as the threat of Covid 19 forming new clusters triggered by these services was still very much evident.
Afif’s impassioned backing of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry’s lifting of restrictions on 11 sectors to begin tomorrow, likely comes through his strong alignment to its minister Azmin Ali, the sacked former deputy president of his party PKR.
Afif remains a member of PKR and its Permatang Pauh deputy chief, despite vacating his position as Penang executive councilor for agriculture, agro-based industries, rural development and health last month in the wake of the political coup at federal level in which Azmin was a key player.
Screenshots of Afif’s tweet went viral as netizens were kept amused by government actors with their steady flow of humorous statements that has been consistent with this Perikatan Nasional government.
Earlier, Health Minister Adham Baba’s statement about warm water being able to kill the coronavirus made global headlines as news anchors worldwide were left dumbfounded, as was the case with Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun’s tips for women during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Rina had advised women to put on make up at home and speak to their husbands in the voice of the Japanese male cat cartoon character Doraemon to keep their husbands happy.
Then came Higher Education Minister Noraini Ahmad, also a doctor, who was on the receiving end of a roasting after she started a competition inviting netizens to submit TikTok videos, offering prizes to the most creative. The Ministry of Higher Education has under its jurisdiction the nation’s institutions of higher learning.
In between those events, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin amused netizens by replicating popular cartoon characters from the TV series Teletubbies in her hazmat suit with the word “MENTERI” emblazoned on her visor, after gathering a crowd of a hundred to launch a disinfection drive, complete with a media photo-op of her spraying the disinfectant herself.
This obviously leaves netizens amused and the people entertained during the MCO, but whether it is a picture of an effective administration, is up for debate.
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Podah
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