YOURSAY ‘The pictures say it all - using people's misery to win political points.’

 

'Rice bags with PM's picture not an issue'

 

Kingfisher: While it is very possible that the PM himself is not responsible for his picture to be printed on the rice packages, it still leaves a very poor impression and is a deplorable action by his officers.

 

It’s pathetic that in this day and age, politicians can go to such lowly means to extol and demonstrate their importance by exploiting the plight of the populace during a disaster.

 

SteveOh: It is an abuse of power for any political party to use government resources for political propaganda. In the West, this sort of abuse would have got those responsible into trouble.

 

There is a clear demarcation between government and the political party that forms it. Once in government, a political party performs the function of government without fear or favour.

 

The printing of political logo or any other form of political identification on government aid relief items such as rice is against the law as it is a flagrant misrepresentation and abuse of power.

 

The printing of a politician's photo on rice bags as we have seen is careless, dishonest, even obscenely crass. In a country like Malaysia, where much of the citizenry is well-educated and have lived abroad, they will find such political opportunism hard to swallow.

 

Government aid items should simply state 'Kerajaan Malaysia' with the country's crest. This is about being honest.

 

Telestai!: Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, why is it not an issue? The rice is paid by taxpayers and not by the PM or BN.

 

I see no reason why the PM’s face should appear on the rice bags. The government should have taken the opportunity to display messages of solidarity, hope and friendship.

 

Anonymous: Indeed, I don't mind if the PM's face is printed on the rice bags on the condition that he personally pay for the rice, not using money from the public coffers.

 

Kyrie Eleison: Where is their sense of priority? At critical moment like this, all they think of is their image and letting the whole world know whose rice the poor flood victims are feeding on? With leaders like this in Malaysia, no wonder the country is going to the dogs.

 

James1067: There is nothing to spin. The pictures say it all - using people's misery to win some political points.

 

The money spent comes from the hard work of the people, and not from the personal pockets of the politicians.

 

Secondly, there are thousands of individuals on the ground from all sorts of societies, organisation, companies and all walks of life paying funds from their own pockets doing seriously hard work to help at whatever capacity without advertising themselves.

 

God will reward those silent workers.

 

Lee Hup: Various cynics have suggested that our PM may be playing politics with the funding allocation meant for use in Kelantan.

 

It is said that he may be tempted to gain political capital from it in the hope of using the fund to sway voters towards BN.

 

Although this political angle to flood relief funding cannot be discounted, I do not believe that our PM will choose to play such crude politics. Perhaps his subordinates may want to do so.

 

Vking: It doesn't matter whose picture or logo was printed on the rice bags as long as the rice bags reached the flood victims to feed their hungry family.

 

Since the BN is the government, and it is logical for BN ‘wakil rakyat’ to put their pictures on the rice bags before distribution.

 

It is much better than opposition leaders Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Guan Eng who are having holidays in overseas in this difficult time and the flood victims did not receive anything from them.

 

We should be grateful to BN leaders for their help.

 

Anonymous_1408391043: How stupid can some people be? Anwar may be out of the country, but even if Anwar hadn’t been, what resources are available to him to help the flood victims?

 

Najib has executive powers that even his deputy doesn’t have, so it is right that he should be in the country in time of disaster like this, because only he can get resources moving, for example money, military resources, ministries, etc.

 

It is irresponsible of Najib to not be in the country. As for Anwar, he can help just like anybody else can and should. Najib is PM and not Anwar, period.

 

Odin: Ismail Sabri’s statement clearly illustrates the crassness, callousness, imbecility, and hypocrisy among he and his fellow vermin.

 

He is completely unable to visualise and feel what normal people are able to. It isn't hard to imagine babies and toddlers wailing and crying from hunger, and their parents at their wits' end trying to console them while figuring out how to feed them.

 

But he and his fellow vermin can't see all this. All they know is to glorify themselves and the political body they represent, while those in dire circumstances can jolly well wait for the rice.

 

WDA: Even in trying times, desperate politicians want to gain mileage in every way they can. Ismail Sabri, please explain whose directive it was to stick your and the PM's pictures on the rice bags?

 

Wouldn't it better to get those new hires to help out in the flood or in the refugee centres rather than doing a meaningless task like sticking the pictures?

 

And why on earth can't the rice be distributed without the VIPs’ pictures? It's hard to believe these are words from a minister. Shame on you.

 

Gordon Gecko: Credit must be given to the marketing guru who came out with the idea of putting the faces of PM and DPM on the rice bags. The suffering rakyat will be so grateful to the two gentlemen and vote BN in the next election.

 

Why stop at rice bags? In this time of need and suffering, so many products can be added/printed with their faces to enhance their political image among the victims. May I suggest:

 

1) Toothpaste - every squeeze is a reminder BN is there for you.

 

2) Sanitary napkin - to bond with the women voters.

 

3) Toilet rolls - to bond with the non-Malay voters.

 

4) Diarrhoea pills - BN understands the suffering and has the solution for the rakyat.

 

Equatorial Man: If the two individuals pay for the rice from their own pockets, they can have their pictures (as big and as colourful as they like) on those bags and distribute the rice bags in whatever way they see fit.

 

However, if the rice is paid for using Malaysian taxpayers' money then the bags should be appropriately labelled with statements like "Malaysian Government Aid for Flood Victims" and no specific individual or political party should take credit for giving those rice bags to the flood victims.

 

I hope that the administrators in the Pakatan Rakyat-led state governments of Selangor and Penang have not made the same mistake in labelling the state given aids to the flood victims with PKR and DAP logos or pictures of their chief ministers.

 

Sirach: Even in the midst of tragedy, Umno Baru seeks to make political hay. Nothing shows up the hypocrisy of this government better than this tasteless act of planting the PM's picture on the rice bags given to the flood victims.

 

Imagine George W Bush having his portrait on the food aid given to Katrina victims, or Barack Obama having his photo on the packages given to Superstorm Sandy victims.

 

They would not just have been scorned and derided, but would possibly have run out of office after one term.

 

Suresh Kumar: I condemn this act in the strongest possible term. This shows insincerity on the part of the prime minister and others.

 

People are dying there and you have the time to print your photos on rice bags instead of speeding up the rescue mission.

 

What a shame Najib. Trust me, this stupid and selfish act will come back to haunt you and Umno.

 

Louis: Indeed, a most disgraceful act. At a time of so much suffering, BN still wanted to exploit the situation for political gain.

 

How can we blame those merchants wanting to make extra profits then? They are merely following BN. Disgusting, disgraceful and despicable.

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