YOURSAY ‘All three positions held by the same person is recipe for disaster.’

Can Najib hold two portfolios?

Negarawan: What is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's real motive for holding the finance minister post? It is not that he is the best qualified for the post.

It is a question of trust. He does not trust that someone else will agree with all his questionable financial and investment decisions, which have resulted in a debacle for the country but benefitted certain quarters.

The question is why has Umno allowed this situation to continue for so long, even when the ringgit has plunged?

Retired Citizen: When we have the chairperson of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) reporting to the finance minister who reports to the prime minister and all the three positions are held by the same person, we have the ideal recipe for disaster.

P Dev Anand Pillai: We might as well have one absolute leader and a few secretaries here and there and do away with ministers and deputies. That way, whatever the leader says, goes.

We can then get together once every four to five years for a big carnival which we call elections, where we will receive some goodies in kind and promises of the sun and the moon.

And, despite all efforts otherwise by the growing, thinking population, the absolute leader will continue to lead.

Doc: Only two portfolios. At one time, Najib had three portfolios - PM, finance minister and women’s minister. Frankly to prevent destabilisation in Umno, Najib should take over the deputy prime minister’s portfolio, too.

Turvy: The reason why concepts such as fiduciary duties and transparency in dealings don’t take root in this country, even among our learned folk, is because we are only a mock nation, not a real one.

Our bureaucracy has a term that is applied to officers not confirmed in their positions - 'acting'. Acting is what we do in all our seemingly civilised processes. We pretend to be a state, a government, lawyers, judges, professors and ministers, why, even policemen.

We mouth principles appropriate to our role without believing in them because it is only script, it does not go to our making.

Words like honesty, nation, race and religion are used only to draw applause from a deluded audience. We are not real anything but real crooks. When the vestiges are discarded, we steal, plunder and rape every known principle.

The referee and rule maker can also be players. They are only acting after all.

Onyourtoes: I guess we should all know by now this government is a master in hanging a cow’s head to sell dog meat.

Our effort to fight corruption is to appoint a non-elected integrity minister. Our effort to transform our economy is to appoint another non-elected transformation minister. Our effort to reduce poverty is to form more institutions like 1MDB.

Our effort on socio-economic development is to introduce more taxes like the goods and services tax (GST). Our effort to contain budget spending is to reduce allocations on national service, healthcare and education, but buying more executive jets for the elites.

Fair Rakyat: Professor Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, now I know the calibre of our so-called ‘professors’. I am astounded that this so-called ‘professor’ does not understand basic corporate governance, which is nothing more than knowing what is right and what is wrong.

How can it be right for the PM to be also the finance minister? This is an obvious conflict of interest.

Imagine, just like the other ministries, the PM’s Department requests for a certain budget allocation from the Finance Ministry.

If the finance minister approves it, that will mean that the PM approves his own request. If this not conflict of interest, then what is?

Move to bar Muslims from jobs at liquor-selling outlets

Swipenter: With the ongoing internal power struggle within Umno Baru, deliberations to play up racial and religious issues in Bolehland are on the rise. This is not the first case. Just ignore them.

If job opportunities are made more restricted to the Malays/Muslims by their own politicians representing them, then so be it. At the end of the day, we all need to eat to survive and that is a reality, like it or not.

Vijay47: I don't think non-Muslims will have anything to say about this latest proposal by Suhaimi Salleh (BN-Kukup).

They can only admire and perhaps be inspired by the continuing efforts to bring Muslims closer to their good through better adherence to the tenets of their faith.

My only confusion is the restriction on 24-hour convenience stores. One would have thought that if proximity to liquor is sinful in such stores, it should be sinful right across the board, to all companies and establishments that handle or are even involved in devil-drink.

This, I presume, would include working and investing in these companies or benefitting from the taxes upon the profits of such proscribed activities.

Suhaimi, please explain further on your suggestion. We, errr... thirst for enlightenment.

Ksn: Vijay47's enlightening views will be too much for Suhaimi to handle. I dare say that Suhaimi never even thought that far. That, well, may be beyond him.

Roar For Truth: Suhaimi, don't tell us what we know, tell us how you intend to provide alternative employment for those who take up your suggestion.

Secondly, is corruption ‘halal’ or ‘haram’? I have not heard you speak up on this since it also involves dignity, race and religion as well.

Anon1: Yes, great move. If they can't get a politically-defined ‘halal’ job, the state can feed and shelter them.

By the way, does this apply to our fragile Muslim Malaysians or does it also include the migrant Indonesian and Bangladeshi Muslim workers working in such places and non-halal eateries/households?

Have our divine politicians ever asked why such people work there? Do they have an alternative? They probably didn't vote you in to meddle with their livelihoods.

Sabahan: Indeed, it is a great idea and all non-Muslims will support it wholeheartedly. I would guess that Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will have an all non-Muslim flight and cabin crew and possibly, non-Muslim staff from chairperson to office boys.

Genting Resort will ban all Muslims from entering its premises and hotels selling liquor will have only non-Muslim staff.

Fair Play: Why not take the ultimate decision? Ban all Muslims from working in non-Muslim business establishments because the air they breathe out and the washrooms are non-halal, too.

I agree with Suhaimi 101 percent. The dignity, race and religionof Muslims must be protected at all costs.

My Opinion: That's right, Fair Play. They can't even work as rubbish collectors because non-Muslims throw beer bottles/cans, cigarettes butts and bah kut teh residue into the ‘tong sampah’.

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