YOURSAY | ‘Shifting the blame to Zafrul is a convenient exercise in collective amnesia.’

PAS leader to Anwar: It was Zafrul who approved 22 special draws

Drkam: Kelantan PAS Youth chief Firdaus Nawi, you can’t simply single out one person and declare, “He did it, case closed.”

Decisions of this magnitude are normally a matter of collective responsibility - unless, of course, former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz was secretly appointed the Perikatan Nasional’s one-man government and nobody told us.

If Zafrul alone had the magical power to decide on the 22 special draws, then surely he should be able to reinstate them now. Why not? Just sign the paper, press the button and voilà - 22 draws are back!

Unless, of course, Zafrul is PAS’ hidden prime minister and we’ve all been attending the wrong cabinet meetings.

So, which is it? One person was powerful enough to increase the draws, but suddenly nobody is responsible for the collective decision?

You can’t have it both ways: when something is unpopular, blame one person; when it was a government decision, suddenly everyone develops amnesia.

Governance doesn’t work like a WhatsApp group where everyone reads the message, but nobody wants to admit they were the admin.

EmEmKay: Shifting the blame to Zafrul is a convenient exercise in collective amnesia.

Zafrul was an appointed finance minister in a cabinet where PAS was an integral partner in government.

If PAS truly stood against the expansion of gambling, it was their duty as part of the ruling coalition to put their foot down and stop the 22 special draws right then and there, rather than keeping quiet and benefiting from the additional tax revenue generated by those extra draws.

Passing the buck after the fact doesn't erase the silent approval given when it mattered most.

Coward: Good but ineffective tai chi. The point is, and always is, why didn't you follow through with your objection, including withdrawing from government, at the time?

Also, according to Kedah Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor's theory, Zafrul will also need to be "cursed"; even though, in all fairness, all of PAS should also take the same responsibility alongside him.

Finally, why didn't PAS reject allocations derived from these haram then and now?

KitaBoleh: PAS is full of hypocrisy. When they were in government, the 4D outlets, Genting, alcohol factories and alcohol servicing outlets were still operating. There were no demonstrations. No blockade.

So, why only talk about 4D outlets in Kedah?

GrayParrot9290: How does the government function, and what decisions does the cabinet make collectively? Can the prime minister or finance minister make decisions without needing approval?

Case in point: the RM200 million given as aid overseas? Who opposed and who approved?

We should be kind and help out the needy, but who decides who should be helped and how much should be given, as it is the rakyat's money and all should be approved by Parliament?

I hope Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil or the Community Communications Department can clarify.

RDX: Very sure this decision was discussed in a cabinet meeting for approval, so what were you PAS ministers doing then?

Sleeping in the meeting or not understanding what was discussed and agreed?

GSVL: Stop making excuses. If Zafrul approved it and he was in Umno then. Why did PAS keep quiet?

It should have pulled out from the almost 100 percent Malay-Muslim government of BN and PN from 2020 to 2022.

Since gambling is contrary to Islam, why did PAS behave like a mouse at that time? The fact is, the draws were increased, and PAS went along with it to remain in power.

Hmmm: You cannot single out a person as the responsible party. It is a collective responsibility.

If Zafrul alone can make such a decision, why is he not reinstating the 22 draws now?

BlueRaven5300: Cunning fox trying to deflect the blame. Obviously, it's the finance minister who approves it, as this falls under the Finance Ministry. But whose cabinet was this minister answerable to? None other than the BN/PAS/Bersatu coalition.

Fairperson: For someone to approve, someone must have applied for it. Who put in the application? Did Zafrul put up the application and approve himself?

Hrrmph: Why do these people not spend their time and breath cursing those who steal the nation's money via corruption?

Knucklehead2: Malaysian politics has sunk into a playground squabble - tit‑for‑tat spats, empty theatrics, and childish name‑calling.

None of these feeds the rakyat; it only starves them of solutions. While leaders waste time trading insults, Malaysians wrestle with rising costs, broken healthcare, and stagnant wages.

Governance isn’t a circus act. It’s about clarity, accountability, and long‑term planning. But instead of answers, the rakyat are handed drama.

Politicians seem to believe optics matter more than outcomes - and the rakyat pay the price for their vanity.

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