I rise to express appreciation of the Yang di Pertuan Agong for his maiden Royal Address to the joint session of both Houses of Parliament yesterday.
In keeping with the conventions of the Malaysian constitution and constitutional monarchy, the Royal Address is not the personal speech of the Yang di Pertuan Agong but the policy presentation of the government-of-the-day for the next 12 months — and this is illustrated by the formal presentation of the government policy speech by the Prime Minister to the Yang di Pertuan Agong before the delivery of the Royal Address.
This is why an amendment to the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address — which is very common and frequent in other Commonwealth Parliaments whether in the United Kingdom, Australia or India – is not a personal slight or attack on the person or office of Yang di Pertuan Agong but a proposal of amendment to the government’s policy presentation contained in the Royal Address.
This is also why two days have been set aside in the 10-day debate for Ministers in the winding-up stage to defend the different aspects of the government policy presentation contained in the Royal Address.
As the Royal Address is the government’s policy speech for the coming year, it is most extraordinary for Cabinet Ministers to be indulging in self-praise and self-flattery in giving glowing tribute to the Royal Address after its delivery, as if Cabinet Ministers are ignorant about the constitutional convention of the Royal Address being the government policy presentation for the year.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for instance commended the Royal Address as “a comprehensive speech which reflects the aspiration and agenda of the government”, the Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s speech is a reminder to everyone to continue to enhance to provide a more transparent public delivery system” while Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s suggestion that the drainage and irrigation system be upgraded to prevent a recurrence of the monster floods in Johore reflected the government’s aspiration in improving the standard of living of the rakyat.
I am not saying that the Royal Address cannot or should not be praised, but when Cabinet Ministers praised it, it is either self-praise or stems from ignorance of the Royal Address as the government’s annual policy presentation to Parliament.
[Speech (1) on Royal Address debate in Parliament 21.3.07]
We have the trimmings of parliamentary democracy but not its substance.
Haahaa ignorance, tak faham langsung what else? This is not the first time, that’s the calibre of BN cabinet ministers!
Don’t laugh! The ‘joke’ is on us – not them.
They make a mockery of the Parliamentary system of government. They know it and we know it. The difference?? The difference is they make all the money that comes with power and influence and we get to pay for their corruption, abuse of power etc.
So the joke is on the rest of us mere mortals.
In the case of the United Kingdom which is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen delivering her Royal Address, the Queen does not depend on the government for a living. She is worth billions in her own right and probably is in the top eight of the ten richest individuals in the world.
Malaysia’s constitutional monarch depends on the ruling government for his remuneration, to support of his lifestyle and has no real wealth of his own worth mentioning. There is nothing in the Palace that is not purchased with the support of the tax payers.
The Royal Address therefore does not mean the same thing. He has no input into policies outlined therein. No influence – zilch.
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I noticed that Najib has this disease of being overly enthusiastic in superficial ideas and comment. The idea is of course to provide enthusiastic support but he uses words to support them that one gets a sense he does not believe it or that no one really will believe it – sort of lets just spin it out of proportion so that something will stick and land. This behaviour of not caring if anyone will believe it and a certain disdain for general population ability to distinguish critically disturbs me a great deal. He is after all a dishonest person – lying to his family, cheating in school, betraying his former boss.
I find him often very disgusting.
He is a crafty politician who cannot be trusted even by his own people. He cannot even trust himself.
Bigjoe,
Yes it’s very disturbing too to have a dishonest person as No.2 CEO of this country.
When he was in Korea recently, the press quoted him as saying that a period of 1-2 years might be used for our future National Service training programe, but on his return to KL when he was asked to clarify on what he said in Korea, he denied he was serious, said he was merely giving them(reporters) an answer. So he simply ‘taro’ saja, just to make reporters happy and don’t mean a thing he said?
That’s the quality of minister we have. Can anyone imagine he is the No.2 CEO of this country, will be our PM if and when Abdullah Badawi steps down, if and when he is not being replaced?!
Malaysia I weep for YOU!
Does his wife trusts him? I hear she slaps him all the time.
You mean you don’t slap your girlfriend or wife?? I hear baiis abuse their girlfriends and wives all the time.
DiaperHead, that was very truly unnecessary……
Haha Mahathirites in BN Cabinet better watch out ! One bright spark, Tapa Husin suggests in Malaysiakini that SIL Khairy be appointed ACA Chief to flush out all those scumbags !
What say you guys?
One scumbag flushes out another scumbag?? I cannot even trust this guy with my 85 year old mother-in-law.