MEGA DISASTER & what is Putrajaya's response? Golf diplomacy plus showy 4WD flag-off!

What do we make out of Malaysian politics these days? Where are our ethical barometers? Do we have to be so sinful?

In the thick of a massive deluge affecting an increasing 100 over thousand people’s livelihoods, damaged properties, crops and resources, we are being told by BERNAMA that the deputy director-general (strategic information), Mohd Sukari Ab Hamid, flagged off 30 four-wheel-drive vehicles carrying 60 staff of the department as well as volunteers from the 4X4 Amateur Radio Club.

And the photo posted shows the deputy director ceremoniously flagging of a long line of vehicles with relief paraphernalia from Putrajaya to drive over to the affected East Coast some hundreds of kilometers away.

This is a disaster. It is an emergency. A crisis at its peak. And we have the time to ceremoniously ‘flag-off’ a long line of 30, 4X4 jeeps with 60 staffers. What kind of a public relations stunt is this?

One would have thought that it would have made more sense if the deputy director was seen at the tragic spots of disasters to see to the relief goods arrive in time rather than ceremoniously announce and partake in a publicity flagging-off ceremony in the safe compound of his office in Putrajaya.

And mind you, the relief goods have to come all the way from Putrajaya literally? Do we not have the army and police stationed closer to the affected territories to help and deploy the necessary assistance and relief?

Mohd Sukari Ab Hamid

The deluge has been swelling these past three over days. And only now do we see a long litany of vehicles being ceremoniously sent off with laden goods.

Seriously we need to buck up. Please stop playing politics in the wake of a natural disaster that has displaced thousands of citizens, young and old, able and sick.

In a crisis like this that is already taking innocent lives and destroying so much, party politics, scoring brownie points and out-doing each other is totally unethical and downright sinful. Worse this is not the season and time and tide for sendiwaras and public relations stunts. - MAILBAG