Mahathir leaves for the United States tomorrow to address the World Economic Forum and attend the ASEAN Networking Dinner in New York on February 3, before embarking on a month-long holiday.
However, what is conspicuously absent is the announcement of Abdullah as the Acting Prime Minister during Mahathir’s month-long leave, as required by government regulations as well as convention.
Is this an indication of Mahathir’s lack of confidence in Abdullah, and if so, is it because of capability or loyalty or is Mahathir not prepared to entrust anyone with the Acting Prime Ministership after what he regards as his “bad experience” with his two ex-deputies, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tan Sri Musa Hitam? Tun Ghafar Baba, who was his second Deputy Prime Minister, was never allowed to be Acting Prime Minister despite Mahathir’s many long absences abroad or on leave.
It is only fair to Abdullah and to the country that during Mahathir’s forthcoming month-long leave after his US trip that the Deputy Prime Minister be appointed Acting Prime Minister and it is still not too late for such an appointment to be made.
It was reported after the Cabinet meeting yesterday that all Cabinet Ministers have agreed to sign the pledge of good conduct which civil servants are required to sign as an undertaking to provide the best service to the government and country.
If the Cabinet Ministers are serious about their pledge of good conduct and best service to the country, then they should also pledge to change their bad parliamentary ways and stop absenting themselves from parliamentary proceedings, especially when their Ministerial portfolios come up in Parliament whether during question time or for debate.
Are Malaysian Ministers prepared to emulate their Cabinet counterparts in other Commonwealth governments with the standing rule that Ministers should not be absent from Parliament during its meetings, and that they should personally answer questions or reply to debates on matters touching on their portfolios unless there are exceptional circumstances, placing their parliamentary attendance as the top priority of their Ministerial responsibility?
If Cabinet Ministers continue to absent themselves from Parliament, setting a bad example to Barisan Nasional MPs until a parliamentary quorum is a chronic problem at every parliamentary meeting, then their signing of the pledge of good conduct is utterly meaningless.
(31/1/2002)