Maria Chin on Perceptions of the Cabinet

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The perception of infighting among Cabinet ministers is not correct as it is simply that there are differing opinions, said Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah.

“Not everyone will agree on the same idea,” she said, adding that as for their apparent lack of coordination it is being overcome.

She added that ministers have been having regular retreats to resolve problems that they face and to improve coordination.

“It looks as though the ministers are having serious disagreements, but it is only exchange of ideas and some ministers might come out stronger than others. At the end of the day, they are working together,” Maria said in a recent interview.

While admitting that PH has made some mistakes, she said most ministers are new to the job and they are learning and they need at least two or three years to correct the mistakes that have occurred.

“What is more important is to get this country back on the right track such as stopping the practice of patronage, giving certain people special privileges. There is a need to find a balance,” Maria said.

She said the PH government is facing major challenges and ministers must be given time to do their job.

She said some people may be of the view that PH is weak or scared and lacking the will in introducing real changes while backtracking on certain issues, but it is not so.

Eric Phoon/TTN

“They are just being overly cautious and they rethink every move.”

Citing the example of the Rome Statute, she said PH should have gone to the ground and explain it better to the people before bringing it to Parliament.

She said if the Statute had been carefully explained to the people, there is a very strong likelihood that it would have been accepted.

“Signing such Statutes would have put Malaysia in a better position and it would have been able to have an inquiry into the shooting down of MH17, but now we cannot do so because we did not sign the Rome Statute,” Maria said.

Related report, May 13, Maria Chin on the More Democratic Atmosphere of the Past Year