YOURSAY | ‘You’re paid to attend Parliament, unlike students who pay to attend school.’

Parliament is not like school, Hadi rebuts critics on attendance record

Vijay47: This is what makes PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang a likeable guy. If anyone had any misgivings about him following his comments on asset declaration, he has now rushed forward to remove all doubts about his intelligence.

Thus, lesson one – Parliament is not a school and MPs do not have to be present at all sessions.

Of course, I assume students must attend school every day, lest they turn to Mat Rempitism (illegal motorcycle racing) and drugs, or worse, join DAP.

Lesson two – members of parliament have scores of chores to carry out and so their absence is justified, even 21/71 (Hadi's attendance).

This also applies to special ministers who need not be at their overseas postings and can relax at home and get paid for doing nothing.

Hey, if the chief secretary could get away with it, more so special ministers! In local parlance, this benefit is called 'gaji buta' (getting paid without working) where you rob the Treasury blind.

Lesson three – like those who made asset declarations, MPs and ministers, special or otherwise, who indeed go to Parliament are indeed stupid.

And in any case, Parliament is merely a venue where “younger MPs” can hone their oratory skills, once again revealing Malaysia to be trailblazers in parliamentary democracy.

I must agree with Hadi’s guidelines on the worth and role of Parliament. So let us do away with this unnecessary institution and instead, spend the funds saved on Mercedes Benz to replace camels!

Only in Malaysia, folks, only in Malaysia.

I Am Malaysian: “Parliament attendance is not like school attendance. This is something people don’t understand. Ministers don’t just sit around there, just like in school. Ministers come in to reply to questions. And then, when that is done, they leave to perform duties elsewhere,” Hadi told reporters in Rusila, Marang.

Yeah, we know Parliament is not like school. MPs are paid to attend Parliament but students have to pay to attend school.

It is a lame excuse for Hadi that ministers attend Parliament to reply to questions only. These answers are written by ministry officials, not ministers who probably don't know how. So many of our ministers/MPs are overpaid and underworked.

GoldenTiger5095: You are a member of the parliament with paid salaries, allowances, other privileges, and a pension later. No need to attend Parliament? Can the same apply to all government servants?

To add insult to injury, they appointed you as a special minister to Middle East countries, some of whom consider PAS a terrorist organisation (for its links with the International Union of Muslim Scholars or better known as IUMS, a terror group).

You took an additional salary and did not do much. Hadi, you still talk about God and obeying His rules. May God save this country from people like you.

Parliament is indeed not a school; attending to its business is a sacred obligation to the people who elected you.

Frans Rozario: Right from the first days of our schooling, we were taught to be punctual for school and absenteeism was not tolerated. The reason being was, we were being trained on how to behave later in life, especially if we held positions of high office.

We had to be punctual for meetings, for work, for appointments and so much more, and more importantly, not to be absent.

If Hadi is trying to say he can stay away from Parliament and take it easy as it is not school, it was because he was schooled wrongly.

By staying away from the House, he disrespects the people who voted for him as a member of parliament.

As the leader of PAS, he is setting the tone and the attitude by which PAS MPs should behave in the House.

This man is the real father of 'kaki ponteng' (truant), and that is why 'ponteng kerja' is such a big problem in Malaysia as it stems from such leadership.

Hmmmmmmmm: If based on your logic, you might as well not stand for elections and give others a chance to be elected.

Also, we expect you to speak only when you have something fruitful to say. Attending Parliament doesn't necessarily mean you must always say something.

Some of the topics discussed may be out of your depths and you may not be expected to say anything. But attendance is still necessary.

This is a place where bills are passed and that is more important than any other activities you have outside, which your officers can attend to unless it is an emergency.

One stroke of a pen when a bill is passed affects more people than attending a ‘kenduri’ (lunch or dinner event).

But this is a blessing in disguise - when Hadi is absent from Parliament, he raises the IQ of the House.

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