Fodder for bashing

These days, every time a Minister makes a statement, it is open to scrutiny and criticisms in the mushrooming websites and blogsites. Many statements, especially those impromptu ones when asked by reporters, were downright arrogant and stupid.

From Rantings by Marina Mahathir:

Monday, November 5, 2007
How to Insult the Rakyat in One Fell Swoop
Another gem from our Nazri...

Nation
Monday November 5, 2007
MYT 3:17:13 PM

Instilling integrity will take time, says Nazri

By PAUL CHOO

KUALA LUMPUR: Efforts to instill integrity among the rakyat is still in its infancy stage, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

He said the National Integrity Plan (NIP) was only launched in 2004, and it would require at least five years before any change could be evident.

"The Malaysia Integrity Institute (IIM) will be preparing a report at the end of the five-year period to assess its achievements.

"It takes time for this concept to truly sink in. We hope there will be improvements very soon, especially among those in the public sector," he said.

Nazri was referring to the Attorney-General's report on mismanagement in government administration and the waste of taxpayers’ income and tax payments.

He however stressed that the report was not a fair reflection of the rakyat's level of integrity at present because the mismanagements were committed two to three years ago by a few black sheep.

Nazri said, "This does not mean that action should not be taken against them. These black sheep should be held responsible.

"Apart from that, I'm sure that within these few years we have improved well, but we will have to wait for IIM's report first before we can make any deductions," he said.

Speaking to reporters after opening the National Integrity Day at IIM here Monday, Nazri said Malaysians should not be pessimistic of the Government's efforts to instill integrity.

Such thinking, he said, would only dampen all efforts.

I looked up the word 'integrity' and this was the definition: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values. So in saying that instilling integrity among the rakyat will take time, Nazri is basically saying that right now, the rakyat don't have much adherence to moral or artistic values. Moral values such as honesty for instance.

I was not aware that the whole integrity issue involved the rakyat as such. As Nazri himself then goes on to say, it's about public servants and their integrity. The fact that they are not being honest in their dealings, as evidenced in the Auditor-General's report. So it's not about instilling these int eh rakyat, it's about instilling these in the public service. And he thinks it will take five years! And in the meantime, we'll have to put up with five more abysmal AG's reports?

Funny that he pre-empts the IIM's report! If the rest of us ever tried to do that, he'd say we were convicting people before they were found guilty!

Mind you he's not the only idiot. Here's another:

Sparks fly even before start of Umno assembly
KUALA LUMPUR: The Umno general assembly begins today but the sparks have started to fly with one politician hitting out at the English media for carrying opposition reports.

Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said some media were being used by the opposition to highlight their causes now that there was greater press freedom and transparency. (There is???!!!)

“Since it has been free, there are some mainstream papers which favour those who do not support the Government. (Which ones???!!!)

“Some are done in an indirect manner and some directly, especially in English papers,” he said when speaking to student leaders at the Overseas Umno Club leadership course here yesterday.

Citing the judiciary issue as an example, Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said the media had its own agenda.

“For example, (the Sultan of Perak) Sultan Azlan Shah’s speech talked about various issues but what was only highlighted was the teguran (warning) on the judiciary,” he said. (I saw his admonition on lawyers also reported. But anyway, must tegur those who need to be tegur'dlah kan?)

Zainuddin also claimed that young Malays such as Azmi Sharom and Amir Muhammad were being used by English papers to attack the Malays. (I don't remember anything these two ever did to attack Malays, do you? Guess I'm not young enough to be mentioned :-()

He said there was one case that raised “doubts over the media’s purpose” was the recent reporting of Port Klang assemblymen Datuk Zakaria Mat Deros’ new mansion although he had been cleared of corruption.

“The case is already over. He took orphans to his new house but what was highlighted was how big the house is,” he said. (Oh my my...but Zak said that these orphans would never have had a chance to sleep in such a big house otherwise...am sure the orphans were thrilled to then have to go back to their nice luxurious orphanage afterwards...)

Zainuddin also took a potshot at former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and claimed that he was not being truthful about the video clip on the alleged judge-brokering.

“The video clip is creating tunjuk perasaan (protest). This party has already been rejected by the community and only has one seat in Parliament yet they are trying to cause trouble.

“During his (Anwar’s) time, there was restrictions and he had his people in the media Now that the Prime Minister is more transparent, he is using that to attack the Malays,” he added. (Um, um, um...I can't top this....)

"Funny how Zam only mentions English papers. You mean the BM and Chinese ones all very compliant, are they?"