The recent appointment of Zainuddin Maidin as deputy information minister exposes how Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is increasingly losing touch with the rakyat (citizens).

He has in not so many words not only approved of Zam's recent pathetic attempts to attack so-called chauvinists of PAS and the Chinese educationists, he also believes that Zam's efforts are a great service to the Barisan Nasional cause.

Firstly, I doubt if RTM viewers are as gullible as he thinks. But more seriously, Mahathir shows that he has no qualms telling blatant lies in order to run down the opposition and cause acrimony among the rakyat.

This has been his favourite tactic throughout the years when he tries to reinforce his relevance.

This time however the attempts have been so crude as to be laughable and I believe the rakyat are not so easily taken in, especially by such poor 'spin-doctoring', and can form their opinions rationally.

The lies are not working as well as Mahathir thinks and appointing people like Zam as a (deputy) minister is a great disservice to the country and the Barisan Nasional cause.