IT IS a bone of contention.
Even the use of a private jet for official duties by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has become a hot topic. Common folk and politicians alike have been using it as a convenient stick to beat PMX.
Latest to join the fray is former Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force (MyWatch) chairman Sri Sanjeevan Ramakrishnan (his Datukship was revoked by the Pahang ruler on Sept 15, 2021) whose posting on X (@SanjeevanSS) lamented that PMX should make good on his many electoral promises.
“The PM went to China not on a commercial flight like other people but instead took a very luxurious private jet,” teased the newly-elected Bersatu Non-Malay Wing’s deputy chairman.
“You can shower, eat, sleep and rest in the plane, right? No need to queue at the Immigration and Customs like other people. Don’t bother telling stories like this, quickly fulfill your promises!”
PM pergi China bukan naik flight commercial mcm org lain, dia naik private jet yg sangat mewah.
Dalam tu boleh mandi, makan, tidur dan berehat kan?
Bukan pergi beratur di Imigresen dan Kastam mcm org lain.
Takpayahlah bagi cerita mcm ini, tunaikan segera janji2 kamu selama… https://t.co/R4Zu7oCSsR
— SS (@SanjeevanSS) November 8, 2024
Sanjeevan was responding to Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming who praised PMX for “working 18 hours daily” – and despite refusing to take a salary – was still subject to vociferous criticism from the opposition.
Statement from the former anti-crime NGO’s head was met with a plethora of comments, some agreeing while others did not.
But the majority of the comments seem to ridicule 40-year-old Sanjeevan for his post. One posted a picture of PMX who only boarded flag carrier Malaysia Airlines from Beijing to Cairo for his official four-day official visit to Egypt.
Some pointed out that no matter what PMX did, he would still be a target for criticism “even if he took a budget airline for the trip”.
Quite a few noted Sanjeevan’s hypocrisy as he did not voice out any opposition when past prime ministers used private jets.
With one alluding to “the first lady” of a former PM who would tag along on these trips to indulge in all manner of lavishness, including luxury shopping.
One said it was very easy to be a keyboard warrior when PMX was already working overtime.
Quite a few told Sanjeevan to instead focus on helping his ‘boss’ and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin “raise RM1.35 mil” who had been recently ordered by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to pay that amount as damages to Lim Guan Eng for defaming the DAP chairman over the revocation of Albukhary Foundation’s tax exemption.
At the end of the day, the moral of the story is that “it’s easy to be nitpicking unless one truly puts himself/herself in PMX’s shoes”. – Nov 11, 2024
