YOURSAY | But is bringing in huge numbers of foreign workers really in the national interest?

Sadly, even intellectual Khairy can’t think straight

Ipohcrite: Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin seemed like a breath of fresh air when he first joined Umno, heralding the promise of reforms and a path towards the betterment of the nation.

But sadly, after having been suitably educated and groomed by University Umno in its politics, he sings the same tune as the rest of his Umno cohorts - politicians bereft of any good ideas but merely parroting support for the leaders to protect their own political position to the detriment of the rakyat.

Legit: The current crop of cabinet ministers are dumb and dumber. The government has been talking about increasing productivity by adopting new technology, automation and most importantly, training.

Bringing in huge numbers of foreign workers unfettered is not walking the talk. The current DNA in Malaysian society is all about making money whatever way possible, never mind national interest, whether it is in the government or private sector.

Corruption is the cancer that will destroy the very fabric of this nation and we will witness this scourge in the not too distant future.

Vent: Correction, Liew Chin Tong. Khairy is no intellectual but he is certainly bright and savvy with sterling educational credentials. He can offer some hope for the future if he can extricate himself from the corrupt, racist, inane and unsavoury politics of Umno. Wistful wishing?

Sadujumat: In fact, unskilled foreign workers are suppressing the wages of Malaysian workers. Sadly, these are the bulk of BN voters. The more the Umnoputera suppress their livelihood, the more the workers will vote for BN.

The lower rungs are ignorant and susceptible to manipulations by unscrupulous BN politicians. This is one message Pakatan must bring to the grassroots, door to door, ceramah to ceramah - that unskilled foreign workers suppress the wages of Malaysian workers. This is very hard work, but is the only way. Umno and BN are not looking after their backs.

Hmmmmmmmm: If BN is really concerned about higher house prices, it should just abolish GST.

ACR: Great piece. Finally, someone who understands what a high-income nation is all about, though this point was indirectly addressed. None in the Umno cabinet understands what it means to be high income. If they did, they would not have slashed the education budget in the tabling of Budget 2016 last year.

Fair Play: Khairy, an intellectual? Just because he graduated with an degree from Oxford? But a political lallang, he definitely is. Blowing with the wind.

Yew KL: Who says Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is going to step down and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will take over as PM? Khairy must be dreaming. Have no fear of Zahid, for in GE14 all of you are going to go.

You all will be the opposition party. Therefore, Khairy can give his intelligent opinion on the recruitment of 1.5 million Bangladeshis and as a reward, be considered by the newly-formed government in 2018 to retain his minister's post. Talk sensibly and you will be considered.

Headhunter: What intellectual? He's just another ketuanan University of Umno graduate.

BBT: Liew Chin Tong, very well put. We certainly lack intelligent people in the government leadership. Or, they just choose to look less intelligent for cronies to flourish.

David: Khairy's intellectual capacity is akin to a one-eyed jack being king in the land of the blind. Nothing spectacular about this opportunist scrambling for his own survival in Umno.

Maplesyrup: If the prime minister values loyalty above all, what can you expect from Khairy and all the BN leaders? After all, now that the beans are spilled and that the top man has over RM2 billion stashed somewhere, it is very tempting to toe the line to reap the benefits...

Anonymous_1394546275: Khairy could be playing dumb for his personal gains. I can understand that logic. But what our politicians, including Khairy, need to understand is that their efforts to defend their position, the failed policies and the current system at all costs, thinking that these can be resolved in future once they are in power, will take the state down with it.

"Exponential growth" applies to both success and failure. A large number of them believe we can resolve all issues. But it is not easy, once the nation is destroyed.

Dingy: Anybody who joins Najib's cabinet will conform with the majority. We will get stupid and unintelligent statements from them. Most people don't regard Khairy as an intelligent person. He is only a little smarter than the others in the cabinet, hence he appears to be outstanding.

Anonymous #70881335: Sorry, I beg to differ. When and how do you classify him as an intellectual? Maybe a little better than the masses, but not much more. He is more a sleek, sleazy politician. No upright conviction and ideals expected of an intellectual.

RM2.6 billion turkey haram : Khairy is not stupid. He pretends to be stupid. In fact, this is the game all Umno, MCA, Gerakan ministers and leaders are playing. Khairy knows his future is in Zahid's hands. To oppose him would mean no minister's post once Zahid becomes prime minister.

It pays to look stupid now for lucrative rewards in the future. This is one of the reasons our country cannot move forward. The leaders prefer to pretend to be stupid than to propound new ideas to counter illogical ones mooted by the PM or DPM, and thereby risk losing their perks.

Just a Malaysian: Singapore and many countries have adopted drywall construction methods which cut labour by two-thirds. Khairy is trying to 'bodek' the DPM, seeing the PM is in trouble. As usual in Malaysian politics, power and money rule.

James TCLow: Liew, you have often articulated issues meticulously with much thought. Your writing has always been thought-provoking. Keep it up and one fine day I hope that you will end up as one of the great ministers of human resources.

As for Khairy, he is aiming for the PM's crown. He has no choice but to subdue his intellectual prowess to the levels of the likes of Zahid, Ahmad Maslan, Rahman Dahlan, Annuar Musa - and that is just to name a few.

Appum: Oh, numbers confused me. Correction... when Number Two becomes Number One, you become No 2. That's it.

How to think straight when exciting times are ahead? When Number One falls, Number Two takes over. If you back Number Two now, you can move up to be Number Three. Who cares what happens in between? Oh, I love numbers, don't you?

Snake-in-the-grass: Intellectual? LOL.

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.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.