Zam tells Muhyiddin to act more like a PM

The former Information Minister implies that Hishammuddin Hussein is not really prime minister material.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin has entered the fray on the apparent lack of leadership in the face of the worst floods in living memory. He has raised questions on Muhyiddin Yassin’s statements, saying it appeared that the Deputy Prime Minister was trying to give the impression that he’s not the man for the job.

“He was quoted as saying that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak deserved a well-earned rest overseas after having worked hard throughout the year,” said Zainuddin in his latest blog posting.

He implied that Muhyiddin should not have made such a statement, especially at a time when the focus was on the suffering of nearly 100,000 people caught up in the floods in several states and the people were looking for leadership. “The people are watching him very carefully to see whether he can fill in for Najib.”

He said Najib was not the only one “missing in action”; other leaders were also absent. “Meanwhile, the opposition is going to town on the issue and the Communications Unit at the Prime Minister’s Department is sleeping on the job,” he said.

“There’s a picture of former Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz going around on a boat, visiting the flood victims. How many people realize that this is in fact an old picture?”

He questioned the whereabouts of Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein who last made a name for himself by the manner in which he handled the media and the families of those caught up in the MH370 and MH17 tragedies. “Where is he?” asked Zainuddin. “He should be in the country given the flood situation although he’s entitled to have his holidays at this time of the year.

“It was not too long ago that a national daily pushed the line that Hishammuddin was Prime Ministerial material.”

He said he couldn’t understand why the Meteorological Department, knowing the gravity of the weather situation, did not alert the Prime Minister.

He had bouquets for the Sultan of Perak and his consort, who visited flood victims in Kampung Labit Lenggong together with Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.

In a parting shot, he belaboured the cynical point that the people have long known that the elite insist on enjoying their Christmas and New Year holidays every year no matter what happens, visiting their children and family members living in the United Kingdom, among other places.