Critics of the overseas visits of the Prime Minister's wife do not understand government regulations, Minister of Information, Communication and Culture Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said Friday.
He said that visits of the kind Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor undertook recently to Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bangladesh were provided for by the Members of the Administration Ethics 1988/1999 decided by the cabinet.
Rais cited Article 1180A of the ethics, which said that the wife of a member of the administration may represent her husband or make an overseas visit on official business as long as it does not contradict the function and service of the minister or his ministry.
Rais told reporters here that the criticisms from certain quarters of the visits of Rosmah, accompanied by the wives of ministers, "stem from political ill will" with the opposition belittling whatever the government did and slandering the people involved.
Rais said that Rosmah had visited Oman at the invitation of its government to discharge her duties as a woman who cared about the education of children, for the disabled and the welfare of women.
"She should play a part to help the nation and the Prime Minister in carrying out supplementary work in the nation's interest," he added.
Rais said that it was the responsibility of his ministry to explain to the people the importance of the visits in helping the nation.
He said the visits had indirectly helped to foster closer ties with the three countries.
Rosmah was reported to have said Thursday that she was not affected by the negative comments on her visits because they were arranged after she received the invitation of the government or a woman minister of the country concerned.
-- BERNAMA
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