'First Family' should tighten belt too

'Why are the rakyat have to tighten their belt while your family continues to enjoy the good life at taxpayers' expense?'

PM's Oz visit - personal or official?

FellowMalaysian: PM Najib Razak's recent Perth trip is an official trip and he could use two reasons to make it official.

One, as a PM seeking personal health treatment and two, to meet the Curtin University students.

The question would be if this is so, why hadn't the PM's Department make prior announcement of the trip as it is 'protocol diplomacy' for them to do so, especially when our very own private jet took him and his wife there.

Never mind the last-minute shenanigans of throwing in the students session as it provides fodder for his claims for expenses later back in KL.

Had it not been the tragic incident in Somalia, he would have had a well-spent vacation courtesy of his quick-witted thinking in taking the rakyat for a ride.

Onyourtoes: When you are the number one in the country, it is all about self-regulation and integrity. No amount of rules and regulations as well as checks and balances will be able to hold you back.

A visit to the US that coincided with the daughter's graduation at Georgetown University, another official visit to a central Asia republic to coincide with the daughter's engagement, and now, a visit to Perth to seek physiotherapy treatment on his knee and to "speak" to our students.

For those who have done statistics, this is no longer random. This also reminds me of the modus operandi of many government servants who would slip in an insignificant official agenda to coincide with their holiday so that the whole trip is paid for by the department.

I think this practice is pervasive and has become the national ethos.

Josephine: I recall how the BN government chided Anwar for seeking surgery for his back injury in Germany instead of Malaysia. But fast forward a few years, even physiotherapy cannot be done in Malaysia?

In the business world, it is very normal for executives to 'package' a holiday trip into a business trip by infusing the itinerary with some business elements no matter how trivial. That explains the dinner with the PSD scholars and the medical treatment.

However, why did Bernama say that the PM had 'cut short' his holidays? Due to inflation, the ordinary rakyat had to tighten their belts, change lifestyle, downgrade holiday destinations and mode of transport.

Mr PM, where is your 'leadership by example'? And, if you truly believe in 'rakyat diutamakan', why then the rakyat have to do without so much, while you and your family continue to enjoy the good life at taxpayers' expense?

Chuath: It is true - sometimes executives package personal holiday with work but the company is careful to check that the holidaying is done outside office hours or personal leave is taken.

If there is extended stay, their personal leave should be taken, during which personal expenses including hotel are paid by the employee.

Does Najib approve his claims and expenses himself? Does anyone go through his claims and expenses during his trips? If there is no accountability, it's very bad management because he is using public money.

Louis: Najib, there are so many Malaysians who could hardly make ends meet every day. Was your conscience clear when you and Rosmah Mansor flew in style in a private jet for a holiday?

Seeking physiotherapy treatment is not an excuse. I think we have many physiotherapists who can give you the same or even better treatment locally. Maybe you might not trust our very own experts.

Even then, it would be cheaper if you fly the therapists to KL to give you the treatment.

Bluemountains: The PM, like any other government servant, is bound by the General Orders. Physiotherapy is readily available in government hospitals and if he decides to seek treatment overseas it is therefore at his own expense, which includes the use of the government-owned jet.

But he can always argue that he met the students in Perth in his official capacity and that too on a public holiday (in Malaysia). In fact, we should all be praising him for being extra hardworking. No?

Sarawakian_3ff9: MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) can spend so much time to investigate Mat Sabu medical claim and yet don't even dare breath when Najib spend hundreds of thousands on another junket for his family entourage.

As a taxpayer, I also want to know whether he is officially entitled to use government facilities and money for his personal use. Spill it out, Najib.

ASH: How about his trip with his whole family to Dubai last December to celebrate Rosmah's birthday? They used the JP1 Airbus A319 (Tail No 9M-NAA) aircraft as well. And who footed the bill for the party they had at Atlantis, The Palm?

And what has happened to the government Boeing business jet (Tail No M53-01) that the RMAF has been maintaining for VIP transport? So many questions, no answers at all. - Malaysiakini