'It is nothing wrong for him to go on holiday at his own expenses, but it is a big issue and very wrong if his holiday is paid by taxpayers.'

PM away on overseas holiday on National Day?

FellowMalaysian: It is inconceivable that the prime minister has jetted off for a holiday in another country and leaving the rest of his countrymen to shore up the nation's day of independence.

It felt as if he has deserted us during this sacrosanct day of celebration. If he truly planned it as a holiday for himself and his family, why didn't he announce it to the nation earlier as he did before he left for the Kazakhstan visit in May this year?

The perception of him taking a overseas holiday during Merdeka Day will not reflect well on him.

Jesse: He asked us to remember the struggle for independence. We do! Malayans, not Malaysians, struggled for independence so that they may live in a democratic country under the rule of law.

Umno leaders like him killed that dream through the corruption of the constitution, emergency rule declared by his father, and the abuse of power, among other despicable acts.

They have betrayed the ideals of the nation. We now have a ‘con'-stitution not worth the paper on which it is written. Malaysian have all been conned by Umno and its BN partners.

Louis: Truly a patriotic PM - holidaying overseas on National Day. The National Day is the birthday of the nation and all its citizens are expected to celebrate it.

Being head of the government, Najib is expected to lead the celebration. By being away on this auspicious day is showing disrespect to the nation. It is just like a son staying away from his father's birthday.

Docs: With what seems to be Najib's dwindling popularity with the masses and an intensifying internal Umno struggle aiming to oust him, I guess taking a holiday at this point may be a good idea for him and his family, especially on the government's tab.

After all, this may be his last state-sponsored holiday trip.

Moontime: This is the first time a Malaysian PM flew overseas during MerdekaRaya. Perhaps it wasn't his intention but his wife's, who had to fulfill her urge to spend time far away from problems at home.

Or he may have forgotten the debacle his predecessor faced when Pak Lah brought the whole family to Australia during the floods in Johor back in 2006. Let's make sure this is the last time Najib is on holiday as a PM.

AkuMelayu: Only morons who will make issues out of nothing. They knew that government has planned for the Merdeka celebrations to be held simultaneously with Malaysia Day on Sept 16, so what's wrong for the PM to go abroad?

Anyway, was it not these morons who claim that Independence Day should be on Sept 16 when Sabah and Sarawak joined Malaysia?

Tulin: The family holiday on the auspicious day may not be so much an issue since the celebration was adjourned to Sept 16.

The real issue was the atrocious spending of money on the private jet for a family holiday. How much was being spend on the fuel, the airport tax, etc?

The family entourage should have been there on ordinary commercial flight, albeit VVIP seats, which shall be colossally cheaper. Again, Rosmah's hand appears to be at work.

1M for All: It's not newsworthy to publicise the PM's holidays. The PM, like any normal citizen, deserves to take leave and go on holidays.

Leave politics and governance aside when it comes to personal matters. For once, let the PM has a good holiday. When he returns, he will be fresher and can perform better for the rakyat.

Do190811: It is nothing wrong for him to go on holiday at his own expenses, but it is a big issue and very wrong if his holiday is paid by the taxpayers, and what more if the latter were asked to tighten their belts.

Tailek: I have no issue with the PM and his family going on holiday. He is entitled to a holiday just like any ordinary citizen.

What I have an issue with is whether he in fact took the Khazanah jet to Perth or wherever he went on taxpayers' expense. Can YB Lim Kit Siang please bring this up in Parliament as to whether Najib paid to use the jet or was this an official trip.

All of us fly economy and those who can afford it pay their own business or first-class passage. So did the PM take the Khazanah jet on a private holiday for free?

Can you imagine the cost to taxpayers of flying an Airbus on a private holiday. Pakatan, please raise this in Parliament.

Lim Chong Leong: November Romeo 1, such an appropriate name for our premier. So the plane bought by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has surfaced? Our money, but his private plane.

Ghkok: This is very strange. The prime minister is ‘on leave' during Hari Raya and National Day? Even so, the rakyat of Malaysia are entitled to know where he is. If he's on leave, why is he using the official jet?

Najib's aides, being so secretive, throws up a lot of suspicions. Even President Barack Obama's vacations and UK PM David Cameron's holidays are widely publicised. Everyone knows where they are. Where's Najib?

Freemsia: The perks of being a PM in Malaysia - can use private jet (funded by the rakyat) to go on a holiday to Australia. All this while, he ask us to tighten our belts. Just like his ‘1Malaysia' slogans. Cakap tak serupa bikin.

Dood: I thought it wasn't too long ago that he cared so much about the rakyat that he had to cancel his holiday overseas to come back home? Now he's eager to just fly abroad on National Day, no less.

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