Further proof that the rot has set in and only a government and political change in Putrajaya can bring a new hope to Malaysians with a new sense of responsibility by the nation’s leaders

When the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, is not prepared to take a stand on the controversy surrounding the violation of the Education Ministry’s own guidelines against turning schools into playgrounds of party politics which happened at SK Putrajaya Presint 14(1) on Tuesday, with the flying of Umno flags in the school compound and pupils singing the UMNO song, it is further proof that the rot has set in and only a government and political change in Putrajaya can bring a new hope to Malaysians with a new sense of responsibility by the nation’s leaders.

It is confirmation that the nation’s leaders – both political and civil service in government – have lost the ability to differentiate between right and wrong.

I cannot think of a time in the 60-year history of the nation when the government has completely lost its political rectitude and moral moorings.

The Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa, said that there is no problem with the Federal Territories Minister, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, openly inviting teachers to join UMNO at the school function in Putrajaya, when a few months earlier, the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid had warned teachers from supporting the Opposition!

It cannot be that Chief Secretary did not know that what he said was wrong and improper, yet he said it. Why? Is he going to retract and apologise?

After Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, I had asked whether there were “fireworks” in the Cabinet as a result of the Putrajaya school incident.

There would be “fireworks” in the Cabinet this if we have an upright, honest and dedicated Education Minister who take his education portfolio seriously, and who will not brook any Minister trespassing into his portfolio to corrupt the minds of young Malaysians, and a Cabinet of Ministers who have not lost the basic ability to distinguish between right and wrong – and what the Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor did was positively wrong, no question about it.

But there were apparently no “fireworks” at the Cabinet, for no Minister felt outraged by what Tengku Adnan and what the Putrajaya school did.

But the unkindest cut of all was the flippant response of the Deputy Prime Minister when asked about the school incident today, and his refusal to take a stand on the controversy!