Taking the rakyat for granted

Pak Samad hopes for the sake of the country's wellbeing, Mahathir should cease meddling and let premier Najib Tun Razak manage the nation.

COMMENT

Malaysian politicians are a recalcitrant bunch. Not only do they refuse to pay heed to the rakyat’s sentiments, they continue to insult the intelligence of the people time and again.

Be it the nation’s longest serving prime minister or the current crop of politicians, they are all guilty of taking the rakyat for granted in more ways than one.

In the case of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, his one too many opinions on just about everything seem to have ‘overstayed their welcome’. His brags about what is best for the country and her people have turned into nagging pricks and as national laureate A Samad Said has voiced out, it is time Dr Mahathir learns to put a stop to his political career in a respectable manner.

Exasperated and perhaps overwhelmed by Mahathir’s raves and rantings, Pak Samad as the novelist-poet-activist is fondly called, in all earnest said Mahathir’s actions of having a say on issues was akin to criticising but with no solid backing.

“Whatever issue there is, he wants to comment. He should learn to end his career as a leader in a respectable manner. It is better to say less, as long as it has substance,” Pak Samad was quoted by an online portal as saying.

Before tongues wag accusing Pak Samad of being vindictive, it is best to understand just why the octogenarian is tired of Mahathir’s opinonated ways.

Recently, Mahathir called on the Barisan Nasional government to revert to English the teaching of Science and Mathematics, blaming Pak Samad for influencing Putrjaya to reverse an earlier decision.

Mahathir did not stop there. He took another dig at Pak Samad, saying that the latter was only a scholar and was an expert in the Malay language and had no expertise in science.

Volunteering himself as example, Mahathir said he was an expert in Science and English and could also communicate in Malay.

But then as Pak Samad sees it, the rhetoric is merely Mahathir’s way of paving the way for son Mukhriz, a former deputy minister and today the menteri besar of Kedah, to one day become prime minister of Malaysia.

Will Dr Mahathir listen?

In the meantime, Pak Samad would only be too happy if Mahathir could mend his ways and this includes stop creating conflicts using the local leaders.

“Try to name one leader whom Dr Mahathir has not fought with. He has fought with Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

“It can’t be that everyone else is always wrong, they would have been right at some point. Also because the press entertains him, that gets him more excited.”

Pak Samad hopes for the sake of the country’s wellbeing, Mahathir should cease meddling in the manner current premier Najib Tun Razak managed the nation.

“He should stick to bigger international issues, as for internal issues, leave them to government leaders.”

The question now is – will Mahathir pay any heed to what the nation’s celebrated artist has said?

Overdose of power

Whilst Mahathir continues to choke the rakyat with his schisms, the scenario involving the wife of prime minister Najib has reached alarming levels.

Rosmah Mansor has no qualm whatsoever how she squanders away the nation’s wealth. From her obsession with ‘all things luxurious’ to milking the most the opportunity of being the prime minister’s wife, Rosmah is guilty on all counts of robbing the nation and its people.

Rosmah’s intoxication with wealth and power has created an abhorrence in the hearts of the rakyat.

When she recently once again created controversy, this time by jet-setting her way to Qatar to attend to personal affairs, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Shahidan Kassim justified Rosmah’s jet travel as in ‘the best interest of the country’.

While opposition MPS in Parliament on Monday protested Rosmah’s use of the private jet, insisting that she should have paid for her travel to Qatar and not dig into taxpayers’ monies, the founder of the early childhood programme Permata said she could not care less.

“I’m happy, I’m just going to do my work. I don’t talk, I don’t comment, I don’t go down to that level,” Rosmah responded.

Rosmah’s special officer Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod from the Prime Minister’s Department was left to do the damage control. All Siti Azizah could do was to ‘aye’ after boss Rosmah.

Siti Azizah said the trip to Qatar was done in the name of national interest.

“It was not for personal reasons. She was invited by the International Women’s Association. (While) she does not represent the government, but she went there for the sake of the government’s interest.

“She is the Prime Minister’s wife, she went to give the keynote address. So she made the address not as a government representative, but in the name of national interest,” said Siti Azizah.

What is disturbing is the revelation by Siti Azizah that the Cabinet had consented to Rosmah’s application to jet-set her way to Qatar which was made via the Foreign Ministry.

The issue is that according to the government circular, usage of private jet [is allowed for] any VIP depending on cabinet approval.

Since the cabinet has always been so generous and gracious towards Rosmah, will it accord the same respect, magnanimity and urgency to the opposition VIPs who need to use the private jet for the sake ‘national interest or does the Cabinet work on the basis of pilih kasih or favouritism?

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.