YOURSAY | ‘Masing, it is obvious you are using gov’t assets for political purpose.’
I sought military's help to fly village chiefs to Putrajaya, says Masing
Vijay47: What is truly disturbing about Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing's actions is not only that he did it but that he is so blasé about it, he seems to actually believe that there is nothing wrong for members of the governing party to use public property for its political purposes.
Any way we slice it, this use of the Air Force to ferry a vote bank across the South China Sea for village chiefs to offer devotion to the president of Umno reeks of abuse of authority. And this gift is from the same Air Force that some time back did not have sufficient planes to transport soldiers to East Malaysia and had to rope in AirAsia.
A simple test about the legality of such misappropriation would be to ask whether Baru Bian and PKR would have been granted the same facility for members to be taken to Putrajaya to meet that same Najib Razak. To repeat your immortal words, James Masing, what would the problem be with that?
This misconduct arises not from ignorance but sheer arrogance, from refusing to accept that there is a distinction between public property and party assets, for holding to the stand that Umno and friends are beholden to none.
Where the opposition is concerned, not only are they disallowed from using schools or community halls for their social-benefit events, which would be acceptable if Umno also had to face the same restrictions, even Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was prevented from attending a charity function at a school.
We cannot hope for the law to be enforced here, not when the head of MACC who on one hand speaks of his anti-corruption commitment, and on the other hand says that the giving of gifts in kind is not wrong, it is illegal only when cash is dished out.
And with leaders like Masing, it is no wonder that for all its wealth, Sarawak languishes so far behind the rest of the country.
Anonymous 2436471476414726: Why the need to fly 180 chieftains to Putrajaya just to thank the PM. Providing infrastructures are the responsibilities of the government of the day. This is "bodeking" of the highest order.
Yes, military planes should not be used for such purpose. If you cannot afford the commercial flights, then just send a letter of thanks to the PM.
Anonymous_1424794168: Of course, this is wrong. You cannot commingle government facilities with party tasks. Government facilities are funded by the rakyat. Can the opposition request for military planes too to ferry their people in order to save cost?
Prudent: The military planes are for helping to secure the safety of the country and not for facilitating any party's partisan politics.
If Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) wanted to meet the village chiefs, he should fly to Sarawak to meet them. This way the people are seen as masters, and not supplicants, of those who depend on them for electing themselves to power.
Sarawakians, please wake and reject being treated like village idiots by Masing and those he is trying to please at all Malaysians’, and especially Sarawak's, taxpayers' expense.
Anonymous 2449671483368245: "At first, they (PKR) accuse me of abusing the dignity of the village chiefs by using military planes, and now they say we have abused our power by using the planes. Please make up your mind…" said Masing.
There is no contradiction here, Masing. Clearly, you have done both.
It is an abuse of Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) facilities to use the planes to transport the village chiefs for your party's political purpose.
And if you really want to send these village chiefs to Putrajaya, you should at least show them some respect and let them fly commercial at your own expense.
Anonymous: A leader must go the ground to meet the people. In this case, just transport the chieftains to the nearest town. The leader can meet them there. There will not be any issue of misusing military planes.
Ravinder: Indeed, using military aircraft for such a purpose is abuse of power, no two ways about it. This was not a mercy flight or an emergency evacuation exercise. And worst of all, it was a political trip, to win the hearts and minds of the longhouse people before the fast approaching 14 GE.
It was election campaigning. If each of them could garner 200 votes, that would be 3,600 votes. Remember, Sabah and Sarawak are the fixed deposits of the BN. This was like renewing the fixed deposit for another term.
It must have been planned to be a secret trip, but the cover was blown - thanks to handphone technology.
Clongviews: Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, what have you got to say to this? Can military assets be used to transport village chiefs for a social/political visit to Putrajaya.
Indeed, a bad precedent has been set. Next, other political leaders will also make similar requests.
Headhunter: This is nothing but an apple-polishing trip at taxpayers’ expense. If you can't afford it, then don't go.
Masing should instead ask Najib to come to meet the chiefs in Sarawak. That should give Najib a chance to see the "development" he has brought to Sarawak, one of the poorest states in the country in spite of its rich resources. After all, he has a luxury airplane at his disposal.
Dayaks are the majority in Sarawak and yet they have little voice because of their own weak leaders. Rightly, Sarawak should be helmed by a Dayak chief minister.
After the first CM, Stephen Kalong Ningkan, was disposed of by the federal government for not towing the federal line, the Dayaks only had a weak Alfred Jabu and now an equally weak Masing to represent them.
Their traditional longhouse chiefs who in the past were independently elected by the dwellers themselves are now replaced by those appointed by the government, given a pittance allowance to keep them subservience to those in power.
Discovery: AirAsia flights might cost RM200 per person so 180 people only amount to RM36,000. This is chicken feed to these filthy-rich politicians.
This is a clear-cut case of misusing the military for political reasons. Unless, of course, they can show proof that they really paid for the flight.
Kawak: Masing, it is so obvious you are using government assets for political purpose. If you are in US, you will be forced to resign. But in Bolehland, you thick-skinned politicians are a shameless lot.
Anonymous 171038150055064: There’s your answer on what should (but I’m sure won’t) happen – ‘Trump’s health secretary quits over private jet flights at taxpayers’ expense’.
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.
