Ng Yen Yen shows shades of Samy

I was shocked when I read the first story.
I got a bigger shock tonight! On reading the second story.

Let's put it this way:
An elected politician is elected by THE PEOPLE. By the PUBLIC.
There is no two-way about it if you want to be re-elected: You must be nice to voters.

In Item 1 below, Ng Yen Yen pooh-poohed the issue of paying RM1 million to the former Ferrari chief.
Indeed, one can agree with her that the amount is miniscule (-- although Todt has since DENIED that he is being paid any money!)
What is RM1 million to the former boss of the Ferrari team? True.

But that same amount is a LOT of money to most Malaysians (and to most people in the world).
So do NOT brush aside people's feelings by saying: "RM1 million in Europe gets you nothing nowadays".
Try a little empathy. Of course the opposition wants to play up this issue.
But surely there are gracious answers to their games.


In Item 2, she went further. In fact, she went all the way.
I can understand her frustration.
But wait: If you have miners working with cyanide near your house, and you are a poor man who cannot just up and live anywhere else, you would be worried too.
So YB, show some empathy please.

These may be poor, uneducated villagers.
And there are maybe just a few dozen of them, not enough to be affect your voting base.
But there are others in your constituency watching too.

And when you behave like this, you remind people of a certain smug minister from Perak. For years he talked and pranced like we all owed him a living.
And now look what has happened to him. He won't dare to even let his party members vote openly to test his strength.

And frankly, YB, your party is in big trouble too.
For the voting public have had enough of high-end officials who cannot connect with them.

Show a little heart.
Talk to voters as equals, not talk down to them.
Please.

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ITEM 1

Ex-Ferrari boss's Malaysia role sparks controversy

(The Straits Times) - MALAYSIA'S opposition on Thursday demanded the government scrap its decision to spend nearly US$300,000 (S$437,000) on former Formula One Ferrari team boss Jean Todt as its overseas tourism ambassador. The call came after the government confirmed it has allocated RM1 million (S$412,000) for Mr Todt, made the ambassador last month for two years to promote Malaysia's tourism in the face of falling visitor numbers. It is not immediately clear whether the amount is the annual budget or to be spent over the Frenchman's two-year appointment. Tourism Ministry officials could not be reached for immediate comment. 'Just because he is volunteering his services, you cannot expect him to pay out of his own pocket,' Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper. 'Besides, RM1 million in Europe gets you nothing nowadays,' she added.

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ITEM 2


http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/107356

Raub gold mine is safe, says Yen Yen
Tarani Palani, Malaysiakini

Raub MP Ng Yen Yen today said that there is no cause for concern for the villagers of Bukit Koman adding that she had already looked into the matter three years ago.

"I met the residents, I met the committee, I brought up the specialist to see them, everything had been done (three years ago)," she said.

She added that she had maintained her silence on the matter because when "people refuse to listen to scientific facts, one cannot talk reason".

Villagers of Kampung Bukit Koman are facing health and environment problems after a gold mine operator started using cyanide in the extraction method in February.

The villagers reportedly began experiencing headaches, breathing difficulties and skin irritation after the company, Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd (RAGM) began using cyanide in their operations.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, T Murugiah, on Thursday had given the green light to RAGM for the usage of cyanide in the mining process.

Ng said that the matter was closed with Murugiah's statement.

She said despite her consultation with the residents, "they still went on and on and on".

"First, they brought some environmentalist, and spoke about the environmental hazards. Then, they focused on health issues. I have already spoken to the hospital in Raub and there are no cases (caused by cyanide effects)"

Citing an example of the resident's unyielding attitude, she said that she had taken the residents to Banjong in order to observe a gold mine there. There were various live forms around the area such as fish and plants.

"There were some fish in the area. If there are traces of cyanide, the fish will die first. But the fish were still there."

When Ng had pointed this out to the residents, they had answered: "(We think) the fish were just placed there (a moment ago), as a gimmick to mislead the residents."

The Star had reported on Thursday that during Murugiah's meeting at the state Public Complaints Bureau headquarters in Teruntum complex on Thursday, a few opposition representatives were present rather than the affected residents themselves.

Responding to this, Ng asked why there was a need to politicise a scientific matter.

When pressed further on the matter, she asked journalists to speak to the affected residents themselves and suggested they do their own neutral research.