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PETALING JAYA: There is a lack of empathy between those in power, leading to a disconnect between them and the general public, according to two non-governmental organizations.
Subang Consumers Association and Shah Alam, Selangor President Datuk Dr. Jacob George, believes the situation will only deteriorate further.
Citing two recent cases involving high-profile people, he said that people would not engage in this type of behavior for much longer.
On Saturday, Datin Seri Masdiana Muhammad, the wife of Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, posted a photo of her taking a dip in a swimming pool and another of an Air Selangor water tanker supplying water to her home. Both images were posted on Instagram.
The fact that the water supply to much of Selangor had been cut off provoked the ire of various parties.
Recently, the Minister of Plantation and Commodity Industries, Datuk Dr. Khairuddin Aman Razali, was criticized for failing to comply with a 14-day quarantine upon his return from a trip to Turkey.
He was slapped with a fine of RM 1,000, a sum that many think does not correspond to the offense considering his position.
George said there were signs that the situation was going to get worse.
“I don’t see people giving up, which is the yardstick or the gold standard for accountability,” he told the Sun yesterday.
On the positive side, he said he sees a change coming. “For the first time, Malaysians will not tolerate this kind of double standard,” he said.
The Patriots’ director of public communications, Captain Dr. Wong Ang Peng, said Masdiana’s decision to show his pool was insensitive.
“You should show empathy to people who suffered without water for a few days.
“Attitudes like this are out of place if we want to build a caring and loving society of mutual respect,” he said.
“Mentri kissing and other interested parties should be held responsible. There is no point taking pictures during relief efforts or talking about tougher laws after the damage is done, ”she said.
Both Amirudin and his wife have since apologized for the incident.
Read this story on our iPaper: Those in power should be more empathetic: NGO
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