Congrats to Veveonah for being a subject-matter in the Cabinet – but alas, it is not about her 24-hour tree-top YouTube and the problem of digital divide in Sabah and Malaysia but the misconduct of the two deputy ministers whom the Prime Minister was too weak politically to discipline

Congrats to plucky 18-year-old student from Pitas, Veveonah Mosibin for being a subject-matter in the Cabinet – but alas, it is not about her 24-hour tree-top YouTube and the problem of digital divide in Sabah and Malaysia but the misconduct of the two deputy ministers whom the Prime Minister was too weak politically to discipline.

In a tweet this afternoon, the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin said that the cabinet discussed the issue of Sabahan student Veveonah Mosibin and came to the conclusion that the statements by two deputy ministers, Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin and Deputy Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri, were incorrect and inappropriate.

Is “taking note” all that the Muhyiddin Cabinet could do about the disgraceful mis-conduct of the two Deputy Ministers, both of whom publicly lied about the Veveonah incident, and one of whom even lied in Senate?

Is this the “new normal” in Malaysia during the Covid-19 pandemic era, when Ministers and Deputy Ministers can make a fool of themselves without having to account for such misconduct?

The Cabinet’s “taking note” today strengthened the case for Zahidi to be referred to the Senate Committee of Privileges for gross abuse of privilege.

Will the government now support the reference of Zahidi to the Senate Committee of Privileges, or will the government continue its misconduct over the Veveonah incident by blocking Zahidi’s reference to the Senate Committee of Privileges?

In the past few days, Malaysians were entertained to a comedy of errors by the two Deputy Ministers.

It is really unbelievable that the Veveonah Incident had snared two Deputy Ministers and exposed them as having utterly lost their roots and completely cut off from the ordinary people, particularly the young generation.

Apart from passing the buck to the Deputy Finance Minister who is also the MP for Kudat, Zahidi has yet to justify his somersaults in the last few days, firstly, for accusing Veveonah in the Senate of lying that she had to spend 24 hours on a tree-top to gain internet connectivity for an online examination; then withdrawing his accusation later the same day; then repeating the accusation on Monday but blaming it on the Deputy Finance Minister.

As for Abdul Rahim Bakri, he posted on his Facebook repeating the lie and sharing a report from a local village chief alleging Veveonah did not live in a rural Pitas village as she claimed. An unnamed Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) “dean” further disputed the existence of any online examination.

Who is this UMS “dean” and why is he not prepared to reveal his identity?

Veveonah’s brother, Mekvin Mosibin in his FaceBook post defended his sister’s move to post a YouTube video of herself climbing a tree to obtain internet connection for an online examination, criticised Zahidi for targeting Veveonah and invited him to visit their village.

“Try coming into rural villages, come come. But don’t choose certain villages only, come to the whole area. Even the most rural of places.

“Try experiencing how it is to surf the internet in the rural village.

“And that is just the internet. We have not talked about water supply, electricity and roads yet.”

Commenting on Abdul Rahim’s attempt to discredit Veveonah, Mekvin remarked that Kudat MP was rarely seen in Pitas and suggested he go to the ground.

As for the Abdul Rahim’s claim that the Mosibin family did not live in the village anymore, Mekvin admitted this was true but claimed they had been “chased out” by the same local village chief who had supplied Abdul Rahim with the information.

“The village chief is not from Kampung Sapatalang, but he chased my father out of the village when my father is from Kampung Sapatalang,” he explained.

Abdul Rahim responded by deleting his Facebook post.

Don’t Zahidi and Abdul Rahim have to make amends and wear the sackcloth for their gross misconduct?

Or are they going about as if nothing had happened?