NO NEED FOR ANWAR TO GET DEFENSIVE OVER RAYA OPEN HOUSES – AND NO NEED FOR RAFIZI TO CRUNCH NUMBERS ON THE COST – WHAT A LAUGHING STOCK IF MALAYSIA’S GOVT CANNOT AFFORD TO TREAT ITS PEOPLE TO A FESTIVE ‘SATAY’ MEAL – IN FACT, MORE MEET THE ‘RAKYAT’ TOURS WITH REFRESHMENTS TO THANK & APPRECIATE THEM SHOULD BE THE NORM – DON’T BE LIKE ‘GONE TO LONDON’ MUHYIDDIN OR ‘GONE TO DUBAI’ ISMAIL SABRI – MIXING, MINGLING, LISTENING & GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THE PEOPLE IS A KEY PART OF GOOD LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said this method of hosting the celebration will enable effective spending and resource utilisation.
“(The open house) is organised to give space and opportunity to the prime minister and the cabinet ministers to welcome the people who have never celebrated Aidilfitri with national leaders.
“In line with the Malaysia Madani concept, the tour is also (made) with the strategic cooperation of the state governments in addition to the leading ministries that are also appointed to help implement the event,” said the PMO.
The PMO explained that the open houses in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, which are under PAS rule, were organised by the federal government.
It is said that the federal government aims for a total number of around 55,000 visitors for all three states – 25,000 visitors for Kedah while the target for Kelantan and Terengganu is 15,000 visitors each.
Open invitation
The open houses in Pakatan Harapan states – Negeri Sembilan, Penang and Selangor – will be handled by their respective state governments.
The event will be held from 10am to 2pm at Hotel Raia, Alor Setar and will be graced by Kedah ruler Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah.
The following open houses are slated to be held in Penang (May 6), Negeri Sembilan (May 7), Kelantan (May 12), Terengganu (May 13) and Selangor (May 14).
Previously, Perikatan Nasional chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan implied that the coalition government was “penunggang agama” (riding on religion) for initiating the tour as it could not be separated from a political motive.
Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor also claimed that the tour was a form of campaigning ahead of the state elections, adding that it was an ethical breach with the involvement of several ministries in organising the events.
Following criticisms by opposition leaders, Anwar denied that the open house tour is motivated by upcoming elections in the six states which are expected to be held in a few months. FMT
Putrajaya won’t break the bank with 6 Raya open houses, says Rafizi
The economy minister says the six functions combined will cost less than a single open house at the prime minister’s official residence.
PETALING JAYA: The cost for holding Hari Raya open houses in six states will be lower than organising a single event in Putrajaya due to a lower number of attendants and overall expenditure, says economy minister Rafizi Ramli.
Rafizi said the open houses in the six states will have an estimated attendance of 10,000 each compared to an estimated 100,000 people if an open house was organised in Putrajaya.
“The last open house in Putrajaya organised by the government, which Perikatan Nasional was a member of, was actually more expensive,” he said on TikTok today.
He said the federal government will only bear the cost of the open houses in PAS-led Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, while the events in Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will be funded by the state governments.
Last Sunday, Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor said federal leaders should stick to the long-standing tradition of hosting a single open house event at the prime minister’s official residence, Seri Perdana, or around Putrajaya.
PN chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan later said the celebrations in all six states, where elections are set to be held later this year, raise questions about the government’s true motives and purposes. He said such a move was improper as it would politicise a day of celebration.
Rafizi said PN would find any means to criticise Anwar’s administration, adding that the opposition would have hit out at the government had Anwar not decided to visit the people of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
Taking a swipe at Sanusi, he said all state governments must focus on improving the e conomic situation of their people rather than politicising the actions of the federal government.
“The Kedah MB also has a responsibility to improve the water supply in the state so that its people don’t have to celebrate (Aidilfitri) without water,” he said.
Last week, the Prime Minister’s Department said Seri Perdana will not host an open house event this year. Instead, the department will hold its functions in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
It also said Anwar will attend three other Aidilfitri open houses in Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan, organised by the state governments. FMT
MALAY MAIL / FREE MALAYSIA TODAY
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