SHAH ALAM, 15 Jan: The Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers have been urged to exercise values held by the Second Prime Minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, who was prudent and thrifty during his administration.
The Member of Parliament for Seputeh, Teresa Kok, said the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers should read the writings of Datuk Seri Nazir Razak who recalled his memories when growing up with Tun Abdul Razak.
Teresa said that the article contained many reminders and good advice, which can be made into lessons for Ministers.
“Undoubtedly, if the Cabinet members had always asked themselves this question, then the government would not have approved for the Prime Minister’s wife to use a government jet to attend the women summit in Qatar when she was invited on a personal basis.
“Neither would any minister throw any lavish birthday party at a time when the people had been asked to tighten their belts.
The article entitled “Remembering my father, Tun Razak”, which was published on The Star website yesterday, spoke about this prudence in using public funds.
Quoting from the article, Tun Razak’s refusal to build a swimming pool at the then official residence of the Prime Minister and the anecdotes about how prudent he was in spending public money shows his strong and sincere commitment to being frugal as a custodian of public funds.
Datuk Nasir wrote that his father in rejecting his and his siblings’ request for the building of a swimming pool had thundered “What will the people think?”
Teresa said that this is the question that the Prime Minister and the Cabinet members must always ask themselves before making any decision so as to ensure that they will always remember the trust placed upon them by the people.
