Run away ministers
Jul 8th, 2008 by Tian
All ministers seem to have ran away today.
Today is the first day of ministries to answer and clarify issues raised in the speeches by opposition and backbenchers since 30 June. However no minister were in the Parliament.
Before the debate, during the Question Time in the morning, Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat evaded all questions related to corruption in PUSPAKOM. He also refused to acknowledge the existence of corruption in PUSPAKOM. He said that very few people had come forward with clear evidence.
The Minister went on to moralize the issue by asserting that in order to eradicate corruption the public need to be educated first. He also rejected the call for an independent commission to investigate the phenomenon of corruption in PUSPAKOM.
Ong Tee Keat who had been branded as a courageous politician now turned coward when come to corruption within his department.
Later, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakop was first to deliver his response on behalf of the Ministry of Finance.
Many questions were raised on petrol hike and the ‘restructuring’ of petrol subsidies. Instead of answering, he gave long lectures on economy, global market, etc.
The minister not only refused to engage a debate with us, his replies appeared to be mere contemplation. He kept talking about “maybe we should try this, or that”. His replies exposed that the government had not put in serious thought in how to handle the current economic crisis.
Approaching lunchtime, Nor Mohamed Yakop quickly concluded his speech without allowing more questions.
His surprised escape even angered the BN backbenchers. By right the Ministry of Finance has the most to be debated in our discussion on Midterm Review on the 9th Malaysia Plan.
After lunch, both BN backbenchers and Pakatan Rakyat MPs requested the Speaker to continue the debate, but the Second Finance Minister had gone missing.
The Chamber then debated and reached a consensus to recall the Ministry of Finance to clarify more issues. However, the Ministry remained unwilling. What’s the reply from the Second Finance Minister? I will provide written answers.
The same goes with other ministers who entered discussion today. All tried to rush and escaped questions.
YB Tian Chua,
Why the ministers escaped questions on serious issues? When they will wake up and realise that the poor Rakyats are suffering? If they are not there to help us at difficult times, then who should we turn to?
The government is ignoring the critical challenges facing the Rakyats at large!
To our PM, please do not labelled those who criticise the government as treacherous. Please take Raykats’ criticism positively to effect changes for a better Malaysia, for all Malaysians !
It pains me that my tax money is going towards paying such ‘runaway chicken ministers’…by the way, PUSPAKOM is a sham and you can bet the second FM’s more important agenda is to quickly help Maybank plan how to clean out our country’s wealth into questionable investments in Indonesia, Pakistan and the likes…
Dear Tian,
I think it is high time the PR has its own shadow ministers elected….similar to the British system. It would be a good way to test the minsters to be and assign each with specific jobs as well.
PR should show that ‘we mean bussiness’ to the ruling BN by being more organised and united.
well they are running because they know their appointment may be up sooner than expected !! they are running away in order to clear their files .. and i dont mean work .. but more of ‘disappearing’ fearing a change may happen .. so better dump all incriminating evidence from ALL ministries and delete all computer files as what happened .. when the state governments had a change of administration after the 12th GE .. so beware .. and even if a new govt takes over it doesnt mean there will be dirt left as all would have gone to the fires or .. send by private jets to overseas location - Singapore or even Israel .. i am not surprised if Pak Lah asked some of his counterparts he is meeting in KL for the D8 summit to bring some for their safekeeping !! … i’m not surprise at all and i know what usually happen.
Based on your description, it certainly appears that Ministers love the money but do not like their jobs. It is such a waste of Tax payers’ dollars when we are faced with such quality of Ministers……they might as well be selling pencils on the street.
For far too long, the Rakyat had been taken for granted by some incapable Ministers, who always ducking away from question time.
good day yb and to all fellow readers
i voted fo otk in pru12. i am still observing him. i refuse to bliv that he has somewhat ’softened up’.
that finance minister - i hate his looks, his speech, his everything. and i am not being personal. go figure.
keep up the good work, yb.
This is not unexpected … Yes, dissappointing maybe, but not unexpected.
Our nation is going to fall hard because of such ministers’ attitude.
4 a country that had so much, how did we get ourselves in2 such a mess!? leadership, leadership, leadership: that’s what we lack. so b4 we vote, think real hard…our fate & our future gens rest with us!!!
YB Tian Chua,
I watch yesterday’s TV news. Home Minister said “no news is GOOD news” when asked about PI Bala Subramaniam. Is he serious ?? Damn!! it is coming from ‘Home’ Minister. ‘Home’ minister must be ‘care’ for all Malaysians.
Will he give the same remark if ask about missing children’s. Especially Sharline who went missing….
Sometimes people use their heart more than their head. not that it isn’t good but sometimes we have to think deeper. Oil prices has been increasing all around the world. Do we not know that? We do. Yet we are asking the government to keep the price down. How can our country prosper if the country is in debt? How can our country make money when it doesn’t have money to spare? Think of the government as you being the head of the family. In time of crisis, what would you do? Give your children more money? Or cut it down? Oil prices is a global issue. Not just a Malaysia issue. Think about it.
Well, if you think EVEN harder, you’ll realize that Malaysia IS a oil producing country. When the oil price increase, oil producing countries are making more profits. This is includes (obviously) Malaysia, which produces one of the finest (and most expensive) oils in the world. Does it not make sense that increase in oil price should, instead, increase the prosperity of Malaysia? Where do you think all those profits have gone?
Think about it.