Mat Sabu commends Zafrul's planning, contrast with PM's shovelling stunt

 

Mohamad Sabu (Pakatan Harapan-Kota Raja) has commended Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz for travelling in a boat entourage to a flood-affected area so that he can better plan a response, stating a minister’s job was indeed to oversee planning over rescue operations.

He contrasted this with a “scooping stunt” in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s visit to Hulu Langat shortly after the flood disasters.

“For me, I agree with the finance minister going down to the ground with a full boat. People complained because he did not save people, but that is not his job.

“He went to survey the situation, went back and came up with a budget to help the rakyat. That is what he should do.

“Ministers should be in the operations room, giving instructions to government officers, not going out to act with the scooping and all. That is unnecessary,” said Mohamad in Parliament today during the special meeting on the flood disasters in December last year.

He had also made a shovelling motion while talking about acting with the scooping.

While Mohamad did not mention names, this appeared to be a reference to when Ismail Sabri allegedly posed disingenuously with a shovel during a gotong-royong (communal clean up) in the flood-hit Hulu Langat.

According to a video clip of the event widely shared on Twitter, Ismail Sabri was made to pose in front of press cameras with a shovel.

Ismail Sabri scooped up and tossed some dirt while the theme from Jurassic Park played in the background. After one scoop, the shovel was handed to a person in a Fire Department uniform.

Earlier in Parliament today, Zafrul had given a speech focusing on the types of aid that have been planned for those affected by the flood disaster.

The government has prepared three categories of aid, which are cash aid, community initiatives and loan facilities, he explained.

While the government will continue to improve the country’s preparedness in handling natural disasters more holistically, Zafrul acknowledged that one of the causes of natural disasters was due to climate change and unsustainable development.

“As such, in Budget 2022, the Finance Ministry had allocated RM450 million for the conservation of environmental sustainability and biodiversity,” he said.

Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man also spoke in his speech today about increasing research and development programs on the effects of climate change, as part of efforts to address flood issues.

Notably, Ismail Sabri had not mentioned anything about climate change in his speech in Parliament earlier. - Mkini