YOURSAY | Unanswered questions in dep speaker’s Euro trip

YOURSAY | ‘I’m sure Rashid’s meetings won’t be classified under OSA.’

Rashid defends work trip abroad during flood season

CitizenSaro: Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker and Batu Pahat MP Mohd Rashid Hasnon should list out the government officials that he met in each country.

As he is only a deputy speaker on an official visit, I’m sure his meetings won’t be classified under the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

And who are the parliamentary aides who went with him? What was the cost of this official visit? Who approved the visit during a period when Omicron/Delta Covid-19 variants are raging in Europe?

Why was this visit planned and approved during the year-end holiday season when Europe goes for its annual vacation coupled with Covid pandemic lockdowns and government officials working from home?

Who is stupid enough to believe untrustworthy Malaysian politicians?

MerdekaMerdekaMerdeka: Rashid, you are making it 100 times worse when you are trying hard to justify things that are hard to justify. An apparently all-expenses-paid, year-end holiday trip for you and wife all on the taxpayers’ monies?

“I am visiting several countries to meet my counterparts in my capacity as deputy speaker,” said Rashid.

For what? A phone call or a virtual meeting is not possible? International governments hold meetings with hundreds of delegates which are being held virtually.

BlueMinnow3865: Isn’t he the same man who was enjoying a durian feast during the Movement Control Order (MCO)? And he decried that it was a long-ago photo and complained he was slandered.

Well, when it was proven beyond doubt that it was a recent photo, only then he admitted that he was at the durian feast. Now, this?

What kind of a person can be so thick-skinned and unrepentant? I hope he loses his seat in the coming 15th general election (GE15).

Oriole: Wow! This SOP-breaking durian eater can use the rakyat’s money for a European trip at a time when people are suffering? And meanwhile, people are only given RM1,000 to rebuild their lives after the floods?

Once again, this man shows exactly how tone-deaf he can be.

Ace: Even if his tale is true, what is there to learn from Western democracies? The Malaysian speaker’s and deputy speaker’s values are totally different from those of the more proper democracies.

They have no interest in learning about how to conduct parliamentary proceedings guided by good conscience and a sense of fair play.

They are champions when it comes to tricks to block debates and pandering to their masters. So divergent are their practices that there's really nothing to study!

Unspin: Indeed, the parliamentary systems of Malaysia and Austria are different. One is based on the Westminster system while the other is based on a federal republic system.

So what can the deputy speaker learn from Austria that can be applied back home?

JW: Sickening. Why should a deputy speaker be given this kind of privilege at the expense of taxpayers? Already, giving him this position is more than enough.

The government, with its bloated cabinet, is a disgrace with shameless people like this deputy speaker who are seemingly good for only one thing: diligently cooking up ways to get the most ‘gaji buta’.

Picture: First and foremost, you do not go during the Christmas and New Year season as the Mat Salleh are on holiday. They will probably send their assistants, who are also on holiday mood, to meet you.

Our ministers think the rakyat do not know their tricks. The rakyat are a lot smarter. Can Rashid provide details of his itinerary there? Most importantly, who are the family members travelling with him?

Is the trip necessary as the country really needs to be careful with its spending?

Kingfisher1974: Our whole country is being potentially flooded and we are wasting our precious money on this useless trip to Europe. He should be here helping to manage the flood situation.

The money saved could have been given to the flood victims. No common sense. No sense of shame.

OCT: The itinerary of the deputy speaker is more of a social visit cum holiday. This is winter time in Europe and most of them are not working.

Nowadays, there is no need to specially plan a trip just to discuss due to the pandemic. A Zoom conference would have saved a lot of money.

The deputy speaker should have some common sense to cancel his trip when his constituents are facing flood issues. This is very selfish and devoid of empathy.

Fair Minded Senior Citizen: Give Rashid your answer in GE15. This is the only way to teach common sense to these politicians.

What is more important - roaming around Europe or taking care of flood victims? We are being fooled by irresponsible underachievers.

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