Think first before issuing statements, Kadir tells ministers
KUALA LUMPUR: Ministers and deputy ministers must avoid issuing statements that can give a negative impact to the nation, government and people, Media and Communications Adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said.
Without referring to anyone, Kadir said they must think about the effects of their statements and should issue them only when necessary.
“Today, it is a new government. Only (prime minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and (home minister) Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin have had the experience of becoming ministers.
“The others may have had the experience of being only a chief minister or menteri besar, but not a federal minister.
“If there are ministers who do not seem to be smart in giving statements or think things through before making one, they must learn from their mistakes.
“What they go through will make them wiser,” he told the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) after visiting the agency here yesterday.
He was asked to comment on an allegation that there had been statements issued by ministers and deputy ministers that appeared to affect the foreign capital flow into the country.
As an experienced journalist, Kadir advised ministers and deputy ministers to plan their statements well and to refrain from making statements that they were not certain of.
He said the media must play its role fairly when reporting news on the 10 PH pledges, which should have been fulfilled within 100 days, so that people would understand the real situation.
He said PH made the pledges when it was in the opposition and did not have information on the things to be implemented.
“It is not that they deliberately made the pledges and then did not implement them.
“They made the pledges based on the facts available to them at that time, but when they won the general election and became the government, they realised that the projections they made were not accurate and there were pledges that could not be implemented immediately.”
He said 100 days were not a lengthy period for the government to implement everything, yet some of the pledges had been implemented.
In its manifesto for the 14th General Election, PH promised to deliver 10 pledges in 100 days, including to abolish the Goods and Services Tax, take measures to reduce the cost of living, stabilise the price of petrol and introduce a petrol-based subsidy, abolish unreasonable debt imposed on Felda settlers and introduce Employees’ Provident Fund contributions for housewives.
Kadir was given a briefing on the news agency by Bernama chief executive officer Datuk Zulkefli Salleh. Present were Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, editor-in-chief Datuk Zakaria Abd Wahab and top management staff.