YOURSAY 'How on earth can you say it was Zahid's own opinion when he was writing in Utusan as the home minister?'

Zahid's get out call personal opinion, says Khairy

Maplesyrup: I think the newly-minted home minister cannot understand that as a minister, he does not have the luxury to voice personal opinions. Indeed, he should confine his personal opinions to his bedroom chambers.

New Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin as usual is cleverly trying to do damage control, but Malaysians are not stupid.

Democrat: How on earth can you say it was his own opinion when he was writing in Utusan Malaysia as the home minister?

Ministers should think with their head before they open their mouth because whatever they say is the government's view.

True Colors: Khairy, please don't try to cloud the issue. It is beyond normal intelligence to insinuate that his comments in a mass circulation newspaper can be taken as his personal opinion.

When you are a public figure, whatever you say in public represents the voice of your office.

Nowornever: If that is so, how then do people know which views of a minister are official or personal? Is it that:

a) It is conveniently a personal view, if and when public opinion works against the person issuing such a statement?

b) It is an official view, if and when the statement works to the issuer's advantage?

As it was well said by former US president Abraham Lincoln: "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."

Tailek: Khairy, please do not defend the indefensible. It is unbecoming of your first public statement as a minister.

Even if it is Zahid's personal opinion and not government policy, it shows what he thinks of opposition voters and ultimately this kind of narrow-minded thinking will creep into policy making.

Zahid should publicly apologise to the rakyat for such a statement. In addition, PM Najib Razak should chide him, but we all know that is never going to happen because he needs Zahid's support and he is also spineless.

Onyourtoes: Khairy, why are you trying to explain on Zahid's behalf? He is more senior than you. He is the home minister. I am sure he knows what he is talking about. So let him explain.

We certainly have every right to criticise the excessive gerrymandering, the blatant malapportionment and the fraud and cheating committed in the general election.

Please don't ever tell us these are constitutional provisions and rules established under those provisions and therefore sacred.

The original intent of the constitution governing elections and the independence of the Election Commission (EC) were raped, amended and abused beyond recognition by Umno in the past five decades.

Anonymous #40112563: Strange how BN people never answer the fraudulent part of the electoral process, i.e. gerrymandering, which is the cause of the GE13 result of a winner with a minority vote and a loser with a majority vote.

Awang Top: If Zahid wants to express his personal opinion, do it when he resigns from ministership. He is a paid public servant, and the rakyat paid him to serve not to express his personal opinion.

Vijay47: Does Zahid get to say whatever he wants as personal opinions? Just like the ex-judge, the ex-minister, the Perak mufti, the pro-chancellor of UiTM, they can all say what they want since it would be their personal opinions?

In your line of justification, personal opinions however offensive or seditious they may be are acceptable as long as they remain personal opinions.

Perhaps you can educate us non-Oxford folks when exactly an opinion becomes illegal. I am sure your good friend Perkasa veep Zulkifli Noordin would be glad to hear your commentary on personal opinions.

This is why I have never trusted you, Khairy, once in a while you come out with a statement that remotely suggests some unexpected intelligence yet you do not have the spine to come out and make a stand when the issue demands it.

Whether from Oxford or UiTM, Umno will be Umno, and Khairy will be Khairy.

Tetawak Ibu: We need reliable honest leaders to realise the rakyat's needs and for betterment of our country; and not for them to merely act as ‘cabinet devotees'.

With reference to leadership quality, former US secretary of state Collin Powell once said:

"Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership".

CKL: If what Zahid said does not reflect the policy of this government then sack him. Najib says all ministers must speak from same page and what one says reflects the view of the cabinet.

Doc: I'm confused: one minister says migrate if you are not happy with the electoral process, another minister says it is not the government's stance to urge people to migrate if they are not happy with electoral process.

There is no point asking the PM to clarify on these conflicting statements as he will ignore the rakyat's plea for clarification on the government's official stance.

This is not a transformation cabinet, this is a confused cabinet.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .