Hannah Yeoh tells off Penang DCM over Maszlee criticism

(Malaysiakini) – Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh has told off Penang Deputy Chief Minister (II) P Ramasamy for reportedly criticising former education minister Maszlee Malik.

She was responding to a report by The Malaysian Insight today, which quoted Ramasamy saying Maszlee had focused on making small incremental improvements rather than on policy matters to prepare students to meet global challenges.

“Missing the forest for the trees? How about removing the log from your own eye instead of being obsessed about the speck of dust in your brother’s eye?

“Ramasamy should seek to improve state policies as deputy chief minister of Penang.
“Maszlee has already tendered his resignation. That was his part in wanting to improve the nation.

“If each of us focuses our energy working on our own role as MP or state assemblyperson, our states and our nation will be a better place,” Yeoh said in a Facebook post today.

Malaysiakini has reproduced Ramasamy’s statement in full here.

Though criticising Maszlee’s performance as a minister, Ramasamy said it would be unfair to blame Maszlee alone for underperformance.

“It would be unfair to blame Maszlee alone for underperformance as there are others at his level whose performances are not up to the mark,” he said.

He added that Maszlee had found himself in an unenviable position when he was appointed as education minister as is the “most politicised job” compared to other ministerial posts.

Yesterday, Maszlee announced that he would be stepping down from his post effective today, following advice from Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

While he did not give any reason for his resignation, Maszlee lamented in his farewell speech that his achievements had been overshadowed by negative publicity and politicking.