COMMENT | Why am I not surprised that there are ministers who do not abide by the instructions of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob?

Because if you give silly, unnecessary and not well-thought-out instructions or directives, do not expect your subordinates to blindly follow them.

This is the case everywhere, not just within the top level of government. That is usually the problem when the guy at the top is not known to be an effective or visionary leader. Lack of respect for a leader is one key factor for insubordination.

On March 1, Government Backbenchers Club (BBC) chairperson Tajuddin Abdul Rahman claimed that some ministers did not abide by the prime minister’s instructions.

“Letters from the prime minister have not been taken into account. I have strong evidence that the prime minister’s orders are sometimes ignored,” Tajuddin told Malaysiakini.

I believe Tajuddin’s claim. He has no reason to make this up. Probably, as the BBC ‘trouble shooter’, Tajuddin could also have been asked to bring up the matter publicly.