FEDERAL Territories Minister Annuar Musa today said he was “ashamed” that he, an elected representative, could not do as much as celebrity preacher Ebit Lew did to help the people.

“I am the people’s representative, yet I can’t do as much as he does,” Annuar said today while commenting on Lew’s charity work.

Annuar said he hoped to be able to meet the preacher one day to discuss how to help the people and maybe even learn from Lew.

“Perhaps I have a slightly different view, the roles of NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and that of the government are different but, at the same time, we (the leaders) must have a sense of shame… not in a negative sense, though.

“This is because there are people with no power like him who are willing to do more, while people like us who have power, we do not do enough,” he said on the Bicara Minda online programme hosted by Sinar Harian that was streamed live on Facebook tonight.

However, the minister said the government’s duty was different from the NGOs’ because the government also needed to have good policies.

He said the government had agendas which benefits might not be immediately apparent to the people but which would be proven in the long run.

“If there is a problem, we will go and solve it. That is important too but as the government, especially, we have to think further than that. 

“So if we are not seen as going to help, it doesn’t mean the government is not functioning, but it’s better that we manage the government in terms of good policy implementation while we also continue to be a government that cares about the problems of the people,” he said. – Bernama, February 1, 2021.