New minister Syed Saddiq not out for blood

Nabihah Hamid Nabihah Hamid Updated 7 years ago · Published on 3 Jul 2018 1:15PM · 5 Comments

Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman says he will only investigate wrongdoing in the ministry if there is proof. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, July 3, 2018.

NEWLY appointed Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said he is not interested in launching a witch-hunt against the previous administration.

Instead, Malaysia’s youngest-ever cabinet member said he wants to be judged based on his accomplishments, not his ability to reveal scandals of the past government.

“I don’t want the new Youth and Sports Ministry to be defined by a culture of revenge, where in order to make myself shine, I have to point out mistakes of the past,” he said.

Yesterday, veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang urged the Pakatan Harapan administration to stop its witch-hunt against the previous government.

Lim was responding to reports that Putrajaya has so far fired dozens of top civil servants since taking over the federal government from Barisan Nasional.

Syed Saddiq said that while he is not interested in digging up all the skeletons in the closet although he would begin a probe into allegations that more than RM100 million were misappropriated at the ministry.

“If there is any wrongdoing from the past, it will be investigated.”

In 2016, a ministry official along with eight others from a contractor firm hired by the ministry were questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Media reports at that time said the official was suspected of instructing one of the agencies under the ministry to make payments to at least 14 contractors for non-existent work.

Syed Saddiq said he will spend his first 100 days as a minister to speak to experts to find a way to strengthen the sporting identity in the country.

“To handle sports, I need to hold dialogues with experts. I want to speak to civil servants and don’t want to take any action without first considering those who are experienced.

“We don’t want to be a ministry that is ‘syok sendiri’.” – July 3, 2018.

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Comments

  • I hope this kid is able to do what needs to be done. No one is on a witch hunt, it's a cleanup. Pray the rest of the ministers would do the same like LGE, Gobind and Anthony Loke i.e Dr. Mazlee for instance.

    Posted 7 years ago by JK Unrowling · Reply

  • Bro saddiq, sadly to say that some clean ups need to be done because most of the sport associations and youth organisations were politically influenced during previius govt. MBM, MAYC, BAM and a lot more need to be clean up. Good luck bro

    Posted 7 years ago by Faizul Rahman Fauzi · Reply

  • Just get Malaysian Football to the next expanded World Cup .. restore the glory days of Soh Chin Aun, Mokhtar Dahari when we were placed higher than Japan and South Korea!

    Posted 7 years ago by Peter Chen · Reply

  • People are saying this guy in his private life likes to show off and take credits. I doubt his credibility at this young age. We shall see

    Posted 7 years ago by Yj Leo · Reply

  • You need to put right what is wrong. That is what needed

    Posted 7 years ago by Mubarak Ali · Reply