Former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin had commented in his blog posting that Putrajaya should perhaps re-evaluate the positions of several ministers and appoint Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor as a minister. - The Malaysian Insider pic, December 10, 2013.An alleged call from the Prime Minister’s office apparently resulted in the Astro Awani website removing a report on a blog posting by former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin which had suggested that Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor be appointed as a minister.
The report is no longer on the site since yesterday afternoon after it was published on Sunday.
When contacted, the website editor Noor Azam Shairi refused to confirm the matter and requested that questions be directed to his superiors instead.
“I do not know of any directive to take down any reports from Astro Awani or from any news site, so I cannot answer the question.
“But my posting is based on my right as a journalist and a citizen who is free to voice his views on anything as long as it does not contravene any laws,” he said.
He said the media is free to report the contents of his blog as long as it was credited.
In his winding up speech at the Umno general assembly last Saturday, Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Raak had highlighted two instances when Rosmah, his wife, had helped Malaysia.
One was when she contacted the Egyptian president's wife in securing the release of a Malaysian student who was arrested on suspicion of being a spy.
The second incident was when Malaysian students were stranded in Egypt during the Arab uprising.
Najib had said Rosmah had used her good relations with the Saudi Arabian royal family to allow the students to enter the country from Egypt although they did not have visas.
Based on the revelations by Najib, Kadir had suggested that Putrajaya re-evaluate the positions of several Cabinet ministers including Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (Foreign Affairs), Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (International Trade and Industry), Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Education) and Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim (Women, Family and Community Development).
"It is very apparent that none of these ministers are as effective as Rosmah in handling international crisis," Kadir had said in his blog posting.
He suggested that these "non-performing" ministers be dropped, which would also see a reduction in the number of ministries. This, he said, would also save Putrajaya a lot of money.
Although the 13th general election was over, Kadir had said that Najib and Rosmah's supporters could push for her to be appointed as a Senator before she is made a minister.
"Even the prime minister's position might not be beyond Rosmah's reach if she can win the trust and support of the public," Kadir had noted.
"Once she has been made a minister, then nobody can accuse Najib and the Cabinet of abuse of power for allowing Rosmah to use government facilities. The perfect Cabinet portfolio for Rosmah would be Minister of Special Affairs," Kadir had dryly remarked.
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