Prime Minister Najib Razak has come under fire for using public funds to travel to Kazakhstan with his family and official entourage, where his youngest daughter Nooryana is due to marry the son of a rich tycoon and government official.
PAS MP for Kuala Selangor Dzulkefly Ahamd slammed the 58-year old Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor for lacking "class". They should use their own money to attend to personal matters rather than 'arrange' official trips to coincide just so as to save money and enjoy the luxury that official travel carries.
Other lawmakers also questioned if the Kazakhstan trip was specially arranged to fit in the wedding. They pointed to a similar incident just a month ago, when Najib and family went on an official, breaking off midway to attend Nooryana's graduation.
"If we take to task Yen Yen for her outsize travelling bills and query Rosmah if she is really going on official officials to Dubai or just shopping sprees, this is even worst. It is very blatant abuse of power," Batu MP Tian Chua toldMalaysia Chronicle.
Tian was referring to Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen who racked up travelling expenses of RM3.25 million for 16 overseas visits.
As for Rosmah, Najib has persistently dodged divulging Rosmah's expenses even for the trips that she makes to countries in the Middle East on her own and with her personal entourage, but in an official capacity.
Their daughter Nooryana, 22, just graduated from the Georgetown University last month. Her parents, brother Norashman and grandmother were there to celebrate with her.
“I feel I have fulfilled my responsibility as a father and my daughter has obtained education in the field of her choice,” Najib had said following the convocation on May 23.
A proud Rosmah had also told the press she made sure she allocated time to monitor the progress of her daughter’s studies despite her official duties.
“I should practise what I preach. I hope parents will monitor the studies of their children so that they succeed and become useful citizens of the country,” the 60-year old Rosmah had said then.
Practice what you preach
But it looks like Najib and family have missed Rosmah's advise.
Whether they were insensitive to the suffering of the ordinary people who are struggling with the eascalating costs of living, or that they were penny-pinching and abusing public funds, they came in for a tongue-lashing.
Pundits warned that the bad example they set had far-reaching implications and could spark a train of copy-cat actions by Malaysia's already spoilt and overbloated civil service.
"It it is morally wrong to use public funds to travel to your daughter's wedding. Najib has no class!" Malaysiakini reported Dzukefly as saying.
"If the top guy pees while running, what do you expect? District police chiefs and other officials may soon use their staff and government resources for their own ends."
- Malaysia Chronicle
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