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Press Statement

by Lim Guan Eng

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(Melaka, Sunday): Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam dares to spend more than RM 1 Million for a two-week holiday in Latin America And France under the guise of a study tour because he knows the Prime Minister will not rebuke him when Abdullah has himself made 83 official trips overseas since becoming Prime Minister in 2003. The Prime Minister’s failure to question Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam during his visit to Melaka yesterday, regarding Ali’s recent luxurious two week holiday in Latin America and France from 13-26 June 2007 in a large 28 member delegation, is not surprising since Ali is only following in Abdullah’s footsteps. 

DAP feels that Abdullah has set a very poor example for other leaders by making so many overseas official trips. Not only has he encouraged other state leaders and Ministers to follow suit and waste public funds without any distinct trade advantages or tangible beneftis. Making so many trips overseas has also resulted in a certain neglect of duties until Abdullah knows he has been written off as a “sleeping” Prime Minister.  

Money and time spent overseas by Abdullah should be better spent fighting corruption and reduce the high crime rate in Malaysia. DAP can not understand how Abdullah can focus of his onerous duties as prime minister, internal security minister and finance minister when he is spending so much time away from the country.  

In a written reply to Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah), the Foreign Ministry reported that the premier went on 83 official and work-related visits overseas over a period of three years and eight months. Abdullah made 22 trips in 2004, 25 in 2005, 20 in 2006 and 16 in 2007. His most recent visits were to Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy.  

One of the side-effects of so much overseas travelling is the unavoidable loss of direction and leadership in issues that matters most to Malaysians such as the loss of 4 basic rights of security – the right to live, work, study and play in a safe environment free from crime. At a time when the Prime Minister should be visiting Johor Baru to check why the police fail to check rampant crime of robbery and rape, he was travelling overseas. 

This has set a very poor example for state leaders such as Ali who has also gone overseas and ignored problems faced by the people such as the numerous abandoned development projects in Melaka, the victimisation by local authorities, poor medical treatment and service from government hospitals and growing crime menace in Melaka town. 

For Abdullah to effectively dispel impressions of a “sleeping” Prime Minister, he must cut down his overseas trips and set a good example to other leaders. Otherwise Ali would be encouraged to go for a million ringgit holiday every year at public expense and without any benefits to Malaccans.