Lim Kit Siang's Joke for 2006

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang of the DAP party called on Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi to launch an ‘Integrity Cabinet’ of 20.

Lim said that the oversize Malaysian Cabinet of 33 ministers, 38 deputy ministers and 22 parliamentary secretaries was even bigger than India’s 24 ministers or Australia’s 17. Hah! An entry for the Malaysian Book of Records?

But according to Lim, what is worse has been the fact that the Cabinet has neither distinguished itself in demonstrating a higher performance culture nor any seriousness or commitment to the Prime Minister’s pledge of a clean, accountable, trustworthy and effective administration.

Lim suggested that ministers who failed to provide leadership towards a commitment of integrity in their ministries should be dropped.

'Integrity Cabinet'? I wonder why Lim bothered with such an absurb call - absurb in the Malaysian context - apart from the reality that it falls not only on deaf ears but very thick skin as well.

But maybe it might be good for a laugh or two.