On March 31, the deputy agriculture and agro-based industry minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has claimed that those who have left the country to live overseas are unpatriotic.
There are many reasons why some Malaysians have chosen to live overseas. Besides the economic factor which is the main reason, other reasons include their unhappiness with government polices and the political situation in the country.
It is therefore not correct and unfair to say that those who reside overseas are not patriotic Malaysians. It is in fact most unbecoming and irresponsible for Tajuddin to label them as unpatriotic.
The unpatriotic remark was not the first time that Tajuddin had made controversial, offensive and unfair comment. Last October, he had hurt the feelings of the Chinese community with his threat to slap the Chinese community of they took their grouses overseas.
In January 2014, it was reported that to avoid more gaffes which had made his Cabinet a laughing stock, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib had directed mandatory media training for the Cabinet members.
If Tajuddin had undergone such training, then it is obvious that he has not learned anything about how to speak to the media.
Even if he had been sent for any media training, I am not surprised at all that he has not learned anything because the causes of BN leaders making unfair , controversial comments are more of their attitudes and being out of touch with the people.
Previously, Minster in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Wahid Omar had remarked that the people should stop eating chicken if the prices were too high and to use alternative roads if they did not want to pay toll on highways. This shows he was out of touch with the people.
The Prime Minister himself had also proved that he was out of touch with the people when he previously committed the kangkung gaffe in 2014. Najib obviously did not understand the pressures of cost of living and price hikes faced by the people.
In Tajuddin’s case, it is more of his arrogant attitude that has caused him to make insensitive and unacceptable remarks.
The Prime Minister should, besides stating that his government does not agree with Tajuddin’s unpatriotic remarks, issue him with an open and severe reprimand.