Maszlee a casualty of self-made pressure

KUCHING: Former Cabinet minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has described the growing pressure on former Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik as ‘self-made’.

Maszlee on Thursday quit due to pressure over his ministry’s controversial policies and the tussle among academic groups over the Jawi implementation in the Bahasa Melayu syllabus.

Wan Junaidi said Maszlee was left to pick up the pieces from a myriad of promises made by Pakatan Harapan prior to the general election.

“This was a self-made burden which was made on a whim and not delivered. Things such as free education, exemption from PTPTN loans and others are shouldered by the minister. 

“At the same time, his policies are controversial such as the implementation of Khat and Jawi. There is no engagement made prior to the announcement.

“It is almost as if it was done to deliver a sensational impact to divert attention away from the other problems in the PH administration,” he said.

Wan Junaidi also believed that Maszlee was not ready for the job’s complexity in terms of responsibilities.

“When someone is appointed to a position, it is his or her inherent responsibility to shoulder the responsibility well. If that person is not able to execute his duties properly, then he or she should resign.

“If that person is not able to acknowledge his or her own weaknesses, then it is up to the people who appointed the person to ask for a resignation,” he told New Sarawak Tribune yesterday.

He said that it was clear Maszlee was not able to deliver and that his resignation was described as damage control for a failing federal government.

“Maybe it is the pressure from some quarters over his new policies that drove him to resign, but Pakatan Harapan has to be a government based on the constitution and the rule of law.

“They should not take the easy way out. All of this is a reflection of failure of all aspects of the administration,” he said.