MINISTERS must take note of the advice given by Daim Zainuddin on improving their communications skills, said Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman today.

“We have to be open in accepting criticism and be introspective about such advice as we are all not perfect.

“This includes me. I will take such suggestions seriously,” he told reporters after attending an event in Kuala Lumpur.

Yesterday, former Council of Eminent Persons chairman Daim called on ministers to thoroughly discuss press statements before issuing them.

He said they should first go over with their press officers, as well as their peers, what they intend to tell the public.

“If you want to make a statement, discuss the impact of the statement. Discuss it between ministers as well. Don’t get overexcited making statements,” he told Astro Awani on the Perspektif Tun Daim programme.

“If it is something positive, issue a statement. If it’s negative, don’t.

“If you go ahead and announce something negative, that’s stupid,” said the former minister, who is one of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s closest advisers.

This is not the first time Daim has dispensed advice to the Pakatan Harapan cabinet, majority of whom are first-time ministers and deputy ministers, after the coalition took federal power in last year’s general election. – May 30, 2019.