While Khairy Jamaluddin may have said his cabinet colleague Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s statement was his personal view, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang will urge the Parliament to censure the newly-appointed home minister.

dap special meeting 110313 lim kit siang 2 Lim ( right ), in a statement, said it is not good enough for newly-minted youth and sports minister Khairy to evade the issue by saying the issue was a “personal opinion” and does not reflect the government’s stand.

 

“How does Khairy know that Ahmad Zahid’s disgraceful statement does not reflect the BN government’s position? Has Khairy been assured by the prime minister or the deputy prime minister that the new cabinet would repudiate Zahid for his statement with a formal announcement?” the veteran DAP leader asked.

 

“Will Khairy take the initiative at the cabinet meeting to propose that the cabinet should distance itself and repudiate Zahid’s statement?” he asked further.

Lim said one would expect that following the 13th general election results that show Najib Abdul Razak’s BN securing 48 percent of popular votes as compared to Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Rakyat’s 51 percent, one would expect the ministers to be humble, approachable and sensitive.

But alas, he said, we see Ahmad Zahid’s arrogance while being one of the senior ministers of Najib’s cabinet after the general election.

 

“Zahid deserves universal  condemnation for his arrogant outburst, which is completely at variance with Najib’s signature ‘1Malaysia’ and ‘People First’ policy. I will move a motion when the new Parliament convenes probably in mid-June to censure Zahid for his arrogant and insufferable outburst, telling Malaysians not happy with the GE13 results to leave the country,” said Lim.

He added that in view of the subject-matter affecting all Malaysians, he invited lawmakers, including those from BN, to join him in co-sponsoring the motion against Zahid, by emailing to him their agreement at limkitsiang@gmail.com . This is so that the motion may carry the most number of signatures of MPs in Malaysian parliamentary history.

‘KJ just a junior minister’

Meanwhile, constitutional expert Abdul Aziz Bari also described Khairy as a junior member of the cabinet.

“In Umno he is just the youth head which puts him as an ex-officio vice president. Youth and sports is a junior position compared to Ahmad Zahid’s Home Ministry. Previously, Ahmad Zahid was the defence minister, another senior portfolio.

“In the party Ahmad Zahid is one of the three elected vice-presidents. This also signifies a more senior position than Khairy,” he said.

NONE However, Abdul Aziz ( right ) said that what matters most is the principle involved; namely the doctrine of collective responsibility of ministers as a team.

“What Zahid says as a minister carries lots of implications. What a minister says means the government’s policy or preference. And coming from someone like Zahid it means a lot,” he said.

It  requires a ministerial statement from the cabinet office or denial from the PM. Anything short of this will not do,” said Abdul Aziz, who contested under the PKR ticket in Sabak Bernam parliamentary seat but lost.

Related stories

Zahid's get out call personal opinion, says Khairy

'Arrogant calls like Zahid's turned voters against BN'

Guan Eng: Zahid's call to emigrate makes no sense

Of being parents, ministers and telling 'leave Malaysia'

What more does Umno want?

Allah issue is yet another diversion from Umno

'If you meant transformation, why say jihad?'