UMNO Ministers – take 5-month Cabinet leave for party election campaign instead of neglecting national duties


Umno Ministers are neglecting and abdicating their Cabinet and national responsibilities to gird the country to face the worst global economic crisis in 80 years because of protracted Umno party election politicking.

This could be seen from the absence of two Umno Ministers from Parliament during the winding-up of their Ministries on Thursday, namely Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

This is most shocking and irresponsible, as both Hamid and Hishammuddin are responsible for important Ministries at this critical stage when the country is faced with a crisis of competitiveness – a safe and low-crime society where citizens, investors and tourists are not increasingly worried about personal or property security as well as having an education system which could nurture a creative culture of talents for the country to climb up the competitiveness ladder with a core group of highly-educated and competent people in all areas of the economy.

I do not know how many of the 14 Umno Ministers who are to reply on behalf of their ministries in the next two days of the four-day Ministerial winding-up of the debate on the 2009 Budget will absent themselves from Parliament tomorrow and Tuesday, but Umno Ministers should be told in clear and no uncertain terms that if they cannot find the time to concentrate on their Cabinet and national responsibilities or even to discharge their most elementary parliamentary duties, they should take five-month leave from the Cabinet to conduct their Umno election campaigning without hindering and undermining the interests of the nation and people.

Let us see how many of these 14 Umno Ministers will play truant from their parliamentary duties in the next two days.

  1. #1 by seaturtle on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 12:33 pm

    Uncle Lim,

    Thanks for coming all the way down from KL yesterday evening to join us in DAP Muar dinner.

    I enjoyed the gathering very much and your speech is awesome.

    Take care.

  2. #2 by shortie kiasu on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 12:53 pm

    Using government’s time, and tax payers’ money to canvass for votes in the UMNO party elections is an abuse of tac payers’ money and country’s resources. Such abuse cannot be allowed nor condoned, and should be considered as a form of money politics and corruption, because these ministers and deputies are using public resources for their own gain, that is to get themselves elected in the party polls so that they can continue to enjoy the benefits that come with their appointment as ministers and deputies.

  3. #3 by Steven on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 1:19 pm

    Only in bolehland….only in bolehland. Pathetic and sad really. Whilst the rest of the world are reeling from the worst financial crisis ever, these umno goons are busily canvassing for their much coveted positions of power so that they can milk more money out of the rakyats’ pockets. Who really gives a hoot about their elections other than themselves? Meantime, has sleepy head done anything he promised to get done in five months? Pathetic….sad….! Only in bolehland!

  4. #4 by ktteokt on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 1:26 pm

    These people just don’t know what priority means! To them UMNO is supreme and above the nation and its people! They are turning into a \communist-like\ state where the party is the most supreme! In fact, if you turn the newspapers everyday, you will see more news about UMNO, GERAKAN, MCA and MIC rather than any news concerning the government. They think they own the GOVERNMENT!!!!!

  5. #5 by veddy.lum74 on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 1:54 pm

    aisayman,this is not the first time they did it,our parliement ‘queen’ has lead them the way,they could be absent for 11 months too,if they wanted it ,no actions will be taken against them by the august house!

  6. #6 by DingDongBell on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 2:36 pm

    They way I see it, all this while, they are neglecting their responsibility with or without the party election, either in or out of the dewan.

  7. #7 by wanderer on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 2:49 pm

    Why just 5 months, why not leave and never return again!
    What is the point of having Ministers who could not give factual explanations when questioned in the Ministry he/she is responsible.
    As long as UMNO-BN is in power, nothing will change.
    Do you think this UMNO administration give a damn of the Global Financial Crisis? Not a hope, to them getting elected is of utmost
    important in their minds…the hands to the money machine!

  8. #8 by swipenter on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 5:35 pm

    Come GE13, we can ensure Umno Ministers take permanent leave from parliament. That would be much ideal.

  9. #9 by Cinapek on Sunday, 2 November 2008 - 10:27 pm

    Yes, that is one of the main underlying reasons for the woes afflicting this country. It is not just UMNO ministers who are neglecting their duties but the entire BN. The high crime rates, the public transport mess, the high crime rates, the deteriorating university standards, the high corruption rates etc are all symtomatic of an administration that is not doing its job.

    Besides all these politicking, there is also the inumerable overseas trips as so well exemplified by the PM’s 88 overseas trip in his first 40 months in office. All these neglect of their primary duties has caused their respective ministries to fail in thier task. A recent example is the purchase of the Eurocopters when the ministers and deputy ministers does not have a clue what is happening in their own backyards for a purchase exceeding a billion ringgit.

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