YOURSAY 'What is Nazri's son Nedim responsible for as special officer? Security matters involving tourists?'

Nazri: Minister's prerogative can't be questioned

Onyourtoes: Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz, you are wrong. If your son is under the ministry's payroll, that appointment requires the head of civil service's approval. A minister, whether elected or appointed, has no authority to appoint officers in his ministry.

Ours is the Westminster model, not the presidential system. If your son is not in your ministry's payroll, you still cannot simply put his name in the ministry's list of officers.

As an officer listed in your ministry, he can make and implement decisions which may directly impact on the ministry's performance.

If he is not in your ministry's payroll, how does the ministry get him to account for things? He may also solicit bribes if he is corrupt.

I call on the chief secretary to the government and the Public Services Department director-general to make a statement on this. This is not a joke, how far can we continue to erode the neutrality and independence of the civil service?

NoCorruption: Nazri said, "I don't care what you people think", in response to his son's appointment as a ‘special officer' under his ministry.

Should a minister say this? In my opinion, these ministers need to go for courtesy classes. They sound like they don't have basic skills.

Bash: It is not true that minister's actions and words are beyond criticism and scrutiny, what more if the issue hints of corrupt practice and nepotism.

Fourtan: Nazri, it is my right as a Malaysian taxpayer to question you and demand your action on this matter.

Bumiasli: It is okay if the son is not on the ministry's payroll. But then where does his allowance come from? What about mileage claims, entertainment, travel, hotel, etc? Can Nazri guarantee that no such expenses will be claimed from the ministry?

Nazri may be rich as he claims, but not so intelligent - we all know it is impossible for anyone to get their son to work free for the ministry.

And it's not right for any minister to tell off the public that he has the prerogative to do anything just because he was appointed by the people. That's intolerable and must be corrected before it's too late.

Pputeh: When it is election time, they coming begging for our votes saying they are our servants. After being elected, it is 'I don't care what people think'. The cheek of these people. Serves us right for electing them.

CiViC: Such arrogance! Only in Malaysia do ministers/public servants have no shame to admit their wealth and yet throw tantrums at the very same people who had voted for them saying, "I don't care what you people think."

Wise people of Malaysia, this is who have you have voted for.

Y Supercession: My, how god-like Umno people are becoming with each passing day. Before too long, we'd all have to fall to our knees and bow before them.

Hang Babeuf: Yes, and the Emperor Caligula could appoint his horse Incitatus as consul. This does not mean that he was wise or sensible to do so. Nor is it the case that Nazri is operating under the same rules in his ministry as did a first-century Roman emperor.

Caligula's horse was named Incitatus, meaning "swift, at full gallop". With ministers and implausible excuses like this latest one of the always too-clever-by-half Nazri, the government in which he serves may well be running at full gallop to ruination.

Even if his dubious son is working there without any salary, he is extended the protection and enjoys the dignity of a government ministry. That is a benefit that he would not have were he not his father's son.

He needs to be posted to a proper re-education programme, not to a government ministry sinecure. National institutions are not easy-reach facilities for "warehousing" the problem-children of the high and mighty.

Legit: Hello Nazri, this is not your personal ministry and this government is not your father's property. People elected you to serve them, just like all the other clowns in the government.

SpongeBob: Now that Nazri has set the precedent, all ministers can follow his example. Bring your children, grandchildren and other relatives into your ministry as special officers. Make it a family affair.

Why? Because it is a minister's prerogative. I am having a good laugh...

Unoanon: Why appoint someone to work for free? Unless one is forced to work, no one would want to work, let alone for free. As Nazri rightly said, why work when his son is so rich? Nazri has again put his foot in his mouth.

Franklyspeaking: Nazri fails to realise that he is elected by the people. He doesn't own the government and can be questioned anytime by the very people who put him there - the rakyat.

If he wants his son to advertise for him or connect him with the young, he should open an advertising company for his son to that for him. After all, he is rich. Why must taxpayers pay for your son's travels and government perks? This is a form of corruption.

Raja1949: Today's ministers can say and do whatever they like, and there is nothing the PM can do about it.

Joker: If Nazri's son Nedim is not doing any work for the Tourism Ministry (but only for Nazri's own promotional work), then why is he listed as a special officer of the same ministry? Is he special because he managed to get his name in even though he does not belong there?

And it is not your ministry, Nazri. You are simply the head, for now. Please don't think that the ministry belongs to you, especially the allocations collected from the hard working people of Malaysia to better promote Malaysia as a tourist destination.

You can't simply spend however you like, just like how you simply can't put anybody's name into the ministry's workforce.

Rayfire: What is Nedim responsible for as special officer? Security matters involving tourists?

Arranging welcoming committees made up of beauties worldwide? Quality testing all the beverages to see if they are fit for tourist consumption?

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