Female ministers in Najib’s cabinet, Shahrizat or Yen-Yen, should get their husbands to stand in for some of their work

No one is in a better position to check up on one’s subordinates than one’s wife. In this case, Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak has detailed his wife to go to three countries for visits to promote Malaysia and do some official work.

The First Lady may not be a politician or an elected representative of Malaysia but only a woman of her calibre has the ear of the PM and his sentiments too.

Rosmah need not be on the official government payroll because her husband can easily command that she be paid the necessary expenses as she is promoting Malaysia, on his behalf.

In fact, what the PM has done is superb. More heads of states and industrialists, or multi-tasking managers, should adopt Najib’s idea.

CEOs when pressed for time in between their rounds of golf, power lunches and meetings, need only send their wives to some of the official events, to represent them. Wives normally have an intimate knowledge of what’s happening in the office.

As this is the age of equality, the female ministers in Najib’s cabinet, Shahrizat or Yen-Yen, should get their husbands to stand in for some of their work.

In the case of Yen-Yen, it will help justify his use of the government travel allowance (reportedly first class travel) as he is made to do some work on behalf of the government. There have been complaints that Yen-Yen chalked up RM5 million worth of travel in just a few months.

Perhaps Najib should take a leaf out of Taib’s book and delegate his duties to sisters, nephews, sons, daughters, uncles, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and sundry other relatives.

But Najib is conscientious and saving our Malaysian taxpayer’s money by only delegating to his wife.

Rosmah, of course, is perfect for the job of foreign emissary and Anifah Aman, Malaysia’s foreign minister should wise-up to improve his performance before he is out of a job.

The First Lady has been known to speak impeccable English, she dresses well, is distinguished enough to meet heads of state on her own and puts her hosts and guests at ease with her love for a sing-song. To cap the evening’s entertainment, she likes to enthrall everyone with a fireworks display.

Can Anifah do all that and more?

Obviously, someone has complained that Anifah’s work is ineffective. Otherwise, why on earth would Najib send Rosmah to Saudi Arabia from 8 January for three days, then to Oman for four days from 16 January and then to Bangladesh for three days, from 19 January?

Anifah has clearly disturbed Rosmah’s busy schedule as she has had to return to Malaysia, to attend the glittering wedding reception of Sarawak Chief Minister, Taib Mahmud on 15 January.

This meant that she had to break up her middle-east tour by flying back to Malaysia for this event, and then return to the Arabian peninsula the following day, 16 January, as she will be in Oman for a four day official visit.

Rosmah is clearly a busy lady with a hectic schedule. It is fortunate that her husband is the Prime minister.

No one can justify spending that amount of money flying back and forth from the middle-east to Malaysia, with her entourage which consists of members of the Welfare Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti) as well as senior officials from the Prime Minister's Department.

We are indeed blessed to have someone who will tirelessly work on behalf of Malaysia, even if it cuts into her busy life. Most of us only take the bus or taxi with such regularity, but our First Lady does her travel in style.

It should be good for the Malaysian economy to see her fly the Malaysian colours. Foreign minister Anifah Aman had better-buck up or else he may end up a casualty of Rosmah’s efficiency cuts.

~ Written by  Mariam Mokhtar