The days of ‘acting’ are over, Puad reminds ministers

 

Puad Zarkashi reminded the ministers that the people are not naive to be taken in by their seasonal acting.

PETALING JAYA: An Umno Supreme Council member has asked ministers to stop becoming seasonal actors, saying the people are not naïve any more to believe in such stunts.

Puad Zarkashi said in times of calamities, especially floods, some ministers liked to put on a show that they cared for the people by going to the ground and performing menial  tasks.

“They think the public is naïve. Actually, the people find the behaviour of this cluster of ministers who are seasonal actors rather nauseating. This culture must stop,” he told FMT today.

Puad did not mention anyone by name but it is understood that he was referring to the actions of several ministers who had come under attack from netizens for allegedly posing for the cameras on the pretext of helping flood victims.

He said if they were indeed sincere in their intentions, they should instead push to get the government to allow withdrawals of RM10,000 under the Employees Provident Fund’s i-Citra scheme, which is what the victims need the most.

“They don’t have to blindly accept the excuses given by the finance minister in rejecting this request.”

Yesterday, finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the government will not allow any additional withdrawal from EPF, saying it would only burden the next generation which would have to care for the elderly with no retirement savings.

Disagreeing with Tengku Zafrul, Puad said many Malaysians were coping with multiple crises and hardships right now and thus urgently needed financial assistance.

“Because of Covid-19, many have lost their jobs and livelihoods. Now, their homes and properties have been destroyed by the floods.

“What is wrong if the affected Malaysians are allowed to withdraw RM10,000 of their EPF savings under the i-Citra scheme? Becoming ‘good actors’ is not going to solve the problems of the rakyat.” - FMT