“No wonder the PH government didn’t last long,” said Minister of Communications and Multimedia Saifuddin Abdullah during the parliamentary session yesterday (10 December), using Hannah Yeoh as an example of why the Pakatan Harapan government didn’t last long.
It was during the winding up of the committee level of the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia when Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh raised the issue of overlapping the duties of government agencies with the Community Communications Department (J-Kom).
“I think we need to record that JKM has its own communication unit and KPWKM has their own communication unit. There are already two layers. Why do we need to subcontract to KKMM?” Hannah Yeoh said.
“And earlier the minister said that KKMM needs to help ministers in KPWKM to promote their products and services.”
“I can tell you, no repackaging can help bad content.”
Saifuddin Abdullah then slammed Hannah, who is the former deputy minister for KPWKM, for questioning the existence of the department (J-Kom) and described her as one of the reasons the PH government ‘could not last long’.
“This is what the former minister is saying, no wonder the PH government didn’t last long.”
As soon as he said that, there was an uproar in the Dewan Rakyat with Jelutong MP RSN Rayer interrupting the session to criticise Saifuddin’s statement.
“Who is the traitor? Have a little shame!” RSN Rayer shouted.
Saifuddin used to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the PH administration under former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad before joining Perikatan Nasional, in February 2020.
Moments later in the Dewan Rakyat, Saifuddin apologised to Hannah Yeoh for what he said.
“Regarding the comment I made about YB Segambut earlier, it wasn’t to humiliate her,” he said.
“I want to apologise to YB Segambut. Maybe the way I said it and the context in which I said it wasn’t clear.”
Many netizens expressed their disappointment at Saifuddin’s remarks, especially when he used to work with Hannah Yeoh under the same government administration:
- “I’m saddened by his choice of words. I’d rather have some facts if he were to attack like that.”
- “What a thing to say. Arent you also part of the PH govt previously?”
- “Their only survival skill is lame personal attack!”
- “Disappointed to see how the KKM minister reply to his former colleague.”
Others chimed in their support for Hannah Yeoh:
- “Ms Yeoh’s “No repackaging can help bad content” should be the phrase of the year…”
- “Today in Parliament, I’m glad there are MPs like Hannah Yeoh and Gobind Singh who are firm but make sense, don’t get emotional unnecessarily and have facts to back the words that come out of their mouths. Unlike some…”
- “At this rate, Hannah Yeoh can just become a clown detector. Just have each MP debate with her and watch the clownery unfold.”
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