YOURSAY | ‘The journalist was simply asking Zahid what readers were already asking each other.’

Zahid: What right do you have to ask if I should go on leave?

Simple Malaysian: Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, no need to question the right of the reporter in asking this question. If you do not wish to answer, just say “no comment” or that you do not wish to answer.

The reporter was merely asking your opinion on the matter and carrying out his or her duty. This attitude surely speaks volumes of your character, Zahid.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Zahid, it is the democratic right of the reporter to ask the question.

When Umno/BN reigned, reporters and editors were punished for exercising a fundamental feature of democracy: the right to know. My answer to you would be: every right.

Mano: Yes, a reporter’s work is to ask questions, even better if they are hard ones. Zahid would never dare to be grilled by the BBC ‘Hard Talk’ hosts.

Appum: Of course, such crude and arrogant behaviour is typical of Umno. Having ruled this country for 61 years without a break, they have developed a mentality that Malaysia belongs to Umno only. Now the overt behaviour is showing.

The true reality now is that Umno is down and powerless, and their leaders are being charged in court one by one for big-time corruption and abuse of power.

Today, in New Malaysia, everyone has the right to ask any question of their leaders.

Anonymous 133971438080786: Indeed, they have the right to ask as the charges link to corruption. All you have to do is just answer yes or no.

Hope: Perhaps no one has the right to ask you to go on leave as Umno's president.

However, by staying on, you are not doing Umno any favours, just like your predecessor did. Umno's reputation is only as good as its president. Obviously, Zahid hasn't learned the lesson.

P Dev Anand Pillai: Here in beloved Malaysia, we don't believe in going on leave. We are quite used to matters being settled because back-door deals and manoeuvres are preferred as opposed to trial by media.

So why on earth must they go on leave whenever there is a charge against them? If that is the case, most of our political leaders would be on leave!

Anonymous #69337042: What do you expect Zahid to answer? He was granted bail to move around like a free man, but he is watched scornfully as long as he chooses to continue occupying the seat.

However, no person of good moral stature will ever praise him for leading the party that is being severely condemned for letting down the nation.

Well That’s Fantastic: A bully does what a bully does. The journalist was simply asking what reporters know their readers are already asking each other.

Hamster Huey & The Gooey Kablooie: A reminder to all reporters and journalists covering Zahid's press conferences in the future - please ask the hard-probing questions.

Zahid cannot harm and threaten you anymore. The more he retorts, the more you interrogate.

You once 'cried' for federal gov't help, PAS reminds Guan Eng

Gerard Lourdesamy: Penang was hit by a natural disaster, so the federal government gave assistance just like when Kelantan was hit by the floods in 2014.

In Kelantan, PAS is the disaster. Since 1990, the state has been dependent on federal government grants, loans and handouts. What economic activity has PAS generated in the state in the last 28 years other than building mosques, suraus and tahfiz schools?

The federal government grants to Selangor were not used to pay the salaries of state civil servants, but for development purposes considering that Selangor contributed a whopping 23 percent to the national GDP in 2017.

Kelantan's entitlement to oil royalties needs to be carefully studied, given the propensity of PAS to spend money on economically non-productive activities.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng is not anti-Islam or anti-Malay, he is anti-economic inefficiency. The sooner PAS realises that the federal government does not have infinite resources to bail Kelantan out on a yearly basis, the better for the state.

Why not ask the Saudis for a donation?

Vijay47: If I were a resident of Penang, which I no longer am, I would have been touched and grateful that my chief minister had approached the federal government for help to cope with the floods that were ravaging the state, the results of an act of God. 

Kelantan, on the other hand, crawled on its knees to Putrajaya for funds to pay salaries, a clear case of mismanagement at the state treasury.

I am also sure, Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, that you would not want to attribute the Penang floods to God’s wrath for involvement in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activities, since floods are part and parcel of daily life in Kelantan. 

Ignoring your typical bankrupt resorting to that old tune of anti-Malay, anti-Muslim accusations, I note that you now explain your shortage of money as being because of Putrajaya not paying Kelantan the oil royalties due to it. But most other states are not entitled to a dime in royalty yet they are managing excellently, thank you.  

Always remember, Mohd Amar, that the nation will never forget how Zahid, to his undying shame, mocked and gloated over Lim being in tears as he sought aid for the people of Penang.

The Wakandan: It is significant that PAS answered with the “anti-Malay, anti-Islam” line in response to the comment that they could not pay their civil servants.

While this was expected, using this line of argument instead of defending or explaining their financial situation is a sad confirmation of what is already in everyone’s minds - that PAS is incapable of managing their state financially and economically.

To distract with an attack of “You also asked for help” and “You’re picking on Kelantan because you are anti-Islam or anti-Malay” does not at all increase their stature in the public eye, but perhaps is meant to stir up the people of Kelantan into hating the person that they are attacking.

What a way of politicking.

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