Sarawak senior minister James Masing's support for a fellow minister's directive to revoke aid to a disabled man has further fuelled the controversy. KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing has come under fire for supporting Assistant Minister Mong Dagang’s action in revoking government aid to a disabled man for backing the opposition.
Dagang, who is the Assistant Agriculture Minister (Research and Marketing), is also PRS vice-president.
Masing told voters to “follow a rule of life – jangan lawan towkay [don't fight the bosses]” following Dagang’s directive to cancel the aid to the disabled man.
Sarawak PKR vice-chairman See Chee How said that Masing deserved the severest condemnation for showing such arrogance.
“One would have expected Masing, as a senior minister, to control the damage inflicted on the Barisan Nasional government in the wake of Dagang’s action.”
Masing is State Land Development Minister.
“Instead, he has made matters worse by challenging the most fundamental ideal of a democracy – a government is ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’.
“His callous remark that the people should not go against the government because the government is boss (towkay) reflects terribly on the BN leadership,” said See, who is also Batu Lintang assemblyman.
He was commenting on Masing’s statement in defence of Dagang’s controversial directive in a local daily.
Arrogant Masing
Masing was quoted as saying that “in any organisation, including political parties, we cannot go against our boss. That is the golden rule in life which we must observe”.
Dagang had written a letter to the assistant director of agriculture ordering him to stop all subsidies and welfare allowance to Frusis Lebi, who is deformed in both hands and legs, because he is a strong supporter of the opposition.
Since last October, Lebi did not receive the subsidies and the allowance.
The action has created an uproar here.
Said See: “It is obvious that Masing has become egoistical and arrogant. He should be taught that the relationship between the government and the people is like the ship and the water.
“The water can keep you afloat, but it can also sink you.”
Ministers are public servants
Meanwhile, state DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen has also ticked off Masing for his “jangan lawan towkay” comment.
“His statement is totally unacceptable. Ministers are public servants of the rakyat.
“Every five years the ministers have to submit their résumé for re-appointment or re-election by the people.
“On many occasions, especially during election times, we hear some BN leaders say that the people are the boss. But they are only paying lip service.
“In their mind, these leaders treat themselves as the boss and the people as their servants.
“This is a clear example of the mentality of the BN senior minister [Masing]. No wonder the rural people have been neglected,” said Chong, who is the Kota Sentosa assemblyman.
He demanded that both Masing and Dagang apologise to the voters in their respective constituencies.
“Masing’s remark also runs contrary to the 1Malaysia slogan of ‘people first, performance now’.
“To Masing, the ministers come first because the minsters are the bosses. That is his interpretation,” Ching said, adding that the party would bring this matter up in Parliament.
“I will challenge [Prime Minister] Najib Tun Razak on what he has to say when his BN party leader has openly stated that ministers are towkays and the people are servants, and the servants must obey the towkays,” said Chong, who is the Bandar Kuching MP.
by Joseph Tawie | March 7, 2012
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