The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is in Uzbekistan for a four-day official visit, accompanied by his wife and Cabinet Ministers including Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Senator Tan Sri Amirsham Abdul Aziz (both from the Prime Minister’s Department), Datuk Shafie Apdal (Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage) and Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (Higher Education). Abdullah will only return back to office for duty on Friday, 21st November 2008.
Tomorrow, the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will leave with another team of Cabinet Ministers for the 16th Apec Economic Leaders Meeting (AELM) in Lima, Peru, starting this week.
It has been reported that Najib will go ahead to New York from Peru and will only be back home early next month.
This would mean that for at least two days on Wednesday and Thursday, both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister would be out of the country at the same time – which will run counter to the 30-year standing rule or of longer vintage that both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister should not be out of the country at the same.
Why has this standing rule been broken this week?
Who will be the Acting Prime Minister in these two days when both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister will be out of the country? It cannot be Tan Sri Muhyideen Yassin, who is the front-runner for the election for the Umno Deputy President, as he, together with the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, will be leaving together with Najib tomorrow for Peru.
Can it be the most senior Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok or the newly elected MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Kiat?
This is of course anathema particularly to UMNO MPs who cannot even accept the clear-cut constitutional position that the post of Prime Minister is open to any Malaysian regardless of race, religion or territory.
I do not know who will be minding the Prime Minister’s Office, but let the Prime Minister’s Office disclose to all Malaysians the number times since the past 30 years when both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister had been out of the country at the same time!
#1 by k1980 on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 11:50 am
Never fear, the mullah’s son in law in left in charge as de facto PM
#2 by clearwater on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 11:54 am
Makes little difference if both are absent. Country on auto pilot anyway. Do we need an acting PM for 2 days? What dire events can possibly happen? More candle lit vigils that threaten to bring down the government?
#3 by Mr Smith on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 11:59 am
Who cares about standing rules? But then, isn’t the country on auto-pilot? Why do we need a PM or DPM to run the country?
#4 by VampireBS on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:00 pm
autopilot…. hehehe reminds me of Wall•E
#5 by alikim on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:10 pm
“Can it be the most senior Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok or the newly elected MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Kiat?”
May be it is an opportunity to prove both the current and former PM’s recent statements are not pure lies!
#6 by sheriff singh on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:11 pm
No, this is not the first time. There were two other occasions in the last three years when they were both out of the country at the same time and I had commented on it.
Which begs the question “Who then is in charge?”
Is it the Dewan Rakyat Speaker the “Duduk, YB, Duduk” man?
Ong Tee Keat?
The 4th Floor boys?
The Chief Justice?
It is bad to be on “auto-pilot” during the monsoon or the economic tsunami. We have had too many crashes, remember? It just shows how non-chalant their attitude is.
But expect more of such trips as they enjoy before their time is up.
(p/s why am I asked to type “Bullocks” in reCaptcha?)
#7 by paix on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:28 pm
All these good-for-nothings know full well their days are numbered. Of course, they will want to squeeze in as many holidays as they can at the taxpayers’ expense before they are ousted.
#8 by aliew on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:31 pm
when the PM and DPM are out…
its time for revolution =D
#9 by Godfather on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:31 pm
It’s “bollocks” lah, Sheriff.
#10 by frankyapp on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:40 pm
you guys think it’s a joke that both PM and DPM are out of the country at the same time ! I must pre-warm you guys cos this Hamid guy will take advantage and use his free hands to use the ISA to arrest all ofyou. Take care ok.
#11 by OrangRojak on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:41 pm
@VampireBS
“autopilot…. hehehe reminds me of Wall•E”
Autopilot: “All communications are terminated. You are confined to quarters.”
#12 by izrafeil on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:45 pm
aren’t we already being run by those fellas in blue….PRDM ?
#13 by ahkok1982 on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:47 pm
Those two can be out of the country or even out of the planet for all I care. I would rather see them out of this world and go to the underworld for eternity instead.
#14 by Steven on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:48 pm
Maybe they should declare those two days public holidays lah….hey…we are not going to be home lah so you guys can go play mah. But careful ah…don’t go overboard cos we still have the hooligans boys in blue watching you…….?
#15 by Cinapek on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:56 pm
k1980 said:
“..Never fear, the mullah’s son in law in left in charge as de facto PM”
What do you mean “left in charge”? He has all along been in charge. That is why No 1 and soon-to-be No 1 have the mindset to leave at the same time.
Moreover I think they are comfortable DSAI is no longer a threat so they have the peace of mind to go for Christmas shopping.
Also wondering out loud. Saw the pix in today’s STAR where PM’s wife was sitting with the PM during his discussion with the Uzbekistan PM. Since when are wives involved in discussions of state affairs between PMs? Don’t they normally visit orphanages or handicraft centres while their husbands are on official business? Unless the discussion was on unofficial business such as sharing info on domestic matters such as cooking recipes, pesky bloggers, family cats and the likes-in which case AAB should be footing the travelling expense himself and not have the taxpayer pick up the tab.
#16 by jedyoong on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 12:59 pm
YB…Dating?
#17 by shortie kiasu on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 2:04 pm
This is governing by remote control, the highest forms of rule and control!
#18 by manusia ada akal on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 2:20 pm
This action is to prevent the crossing over to Pakatan Rakyat whose plan is said to be done by Christmas 2008. Can it be read from this angle?
#19 by sheriff singh on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 2:39 pm
Bapatuhan,
One of the words given to me was “Bullocks” lah. Don’t know why.
But don’t get dirty minded. After all, you are tuhan punya bapak.
(p/s now the word is horseback. Why does everything refer to animals?)
#20 by Thinking Two on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 2:40 pm
Without them, we are much more happy!!
They give us problems!!!
#21 by Damocles on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 2:41 pm
Uncle Lim, since when have UMNO/BN given a damn for the country?
The country can burn while they enjoy their holidays!
On another plane, I refer to the remarks by Sheriff Singh regarding why he has to type “Bullocks” in reCaptcha?.
I also find that it’s quite a hassle typing these words, especially when the cryptic words are at times difficult to read.
Perhaps this should be dispensed with or a better system found.
#22 by All For The Road on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 3:27 pm
Don’t we know? It’s annual vacation, annual leave, sightseeing, shopping, fun time and what not overseas with all expenses, including tips, being all paid for by the poor rakyat.
There’s nothing to worry about. That bunch of goons and second-echelon advisers can deputize and do the jobs for them!
#23 by melurian on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 4:17 pm
you’re just making this an issue…
we still have agong, who is the surpreme head….
if no, we have internet, gps and video conferencing, everything can be done and monitored even physically not at the site…. this is technology and modernity, don be so outdated…
#24 by i_love_malaysia on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 4:36 pm
Dont worry YB, relax aje, AAB & Najib have merancang, Tuhan yang menentukan!!! So if something happened while they are away, dont blame them as it is not their fault even though both planned not to have at least one of them is in Malaysia at any one time!!! May be YB can learn from them i.e. a paradigme shift that either one must be around in Malaysia. The world has changed, AAB or Najib can fly back to Malaysia within a very short time with personal jet or can have teleconferencing any time!!! so learn from them and relax a bit!!!
#25 by melurian on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 5:05 pm
in old days there was no internet, video conferencing, gps so tunku and razak oversight this. today we blackberry, 3.5g hspda, and airbus, the world seems getting smaller. why pm and dpm cannot leave at the same time ?? don be so old-fashion lar…..
#26 by Dr.Ken on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 5:44 pm
They simply don’t care what is going on in the nation. be a landslide, Flood , earthquakes or a revolution. etc.
#27 by Godfather on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 6:00 pm
Yes, Kit, take UMNO’s advice and “relaks” lah. These clowns would have delegated to somebody, but of course nobody takes responsibility. Give them a break, they are in the process of transition, so have no government or having a lame duck government is of no difference.
Worse, they could have appointed Chua Soi Lek as acting PM….
#28 by ktteokt on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 7:59 pm
Are they planning to abscorn?
#29 by ktteokt on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 8:01 pm
Sorry, typo error, not “abscorn” but “abscond”
#30 by vsp on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 8:44 pm
Don’t worry, both of them can go away but make sure come back in a coffin and Malaysians would be happy to give them a decent burial.
#31 by storm62 on Monday, 17 November 2008 - 10:42 pm
the PM & DPM are discussing their commission overseas la.
they are counting their share, who care a damn about what’s going on in this country.
anyway i hope they won’t be coming back again.
adious amigo PM & DPM.
#32 by ktteokt on Tuesday, 18 November 2008 - 7:51 am
Maybe Najis is going to meet up with another unfortunate girl like Altantuya again somewhere in another part of the world and replay what was played in Altantuya’s case! The military better keep close watch on its firearms department, especially be fully accountable for its stock of C4!
#33 by Godfather on Tuesday, 18 November 2008 - 8:36 am
No need to worry, the old Mamakthir is now in charge !
#34 by taiking on Tuesday, 18 November 2008 - 9:18 am
It makes not a difference. They are not governing anyway because they are just too busy politicking. In fact they flicked the national auto-pilot button on sometime ago. And for good measure the day to day business is entrusted to the good man’s SIL.
But still the idea of a headless nation is definitely bad.
#35 by melurian on Tuesday, 18 November 2008 - 10:16 am
if anwar is smart (and truthful), he should seize this opportunity… apalah 16 sept, karang pm dan tpm tak ada, bukan masa karang then bila ?
stupid anwar who donno how to make use this opportunity….
#36 by Johorean on Tuesday, 18 November 2008 - 3:32 pm
I hope they never come back.