BN candidate for P212 Sibu by-election Robert Lau organised this dialogue with PM and opened it to the younger generations of Sibu. The idea was good and it provided a rare opportunity for us to channel our views and pour out our grouses personally to our top leader. I liked the arrangement.The dialogue session, held at RH Hotel, started off at 7:30am with a breakfast. It was all in a take-away lunch box with tea & coffee. The breakast was set in an informal way, making it easy for mingling around.
The turnout was more than anticipated. I learned that the seating arrangement was for 500. But the actual crowd eventually reached about 600. It was pretty encouraging.
The whole set-up was eye-opening for me. It was a simple theatre setting laid out in cluster style with the stage in the centre. One notable advantage of the setting is for the speaker/moderator to grasp a better control of the audience. It also enhances a feeling of closeness among the speaker/moderator and the participants.
Robert Lau moderated the session. As a whole, he discharged his job well in terms of timing and keeping within the limits. Right from the start, RL made it clear that the dialogue was closed-door, meaning the press was not permitted. This allowed a free flow of exchanges.
Our PM Dato' Seri Najib was tactful and diplomatic in taking a flood of views within a time frame of about two hours. He touched on about half of the issues raised, classified some as "within the purview of the state" and put the rest on "study list".
Generally speaking, PM had a good interaction with the audience. Some of his national policies were expounded with some humour chipped in to make the atmosphere light.
Before the session kicked off, some of the Federal ministers grabbed the time to interact with the participants. Home Affairs Minister Dato' Seri Hishammuddin and International Trade Deputy Minister Dato' Mukhriz were like political stars! Seeing participants queuing up to take photo with them, I joined in to have one with Mukhriz.
Our ministers did a good PR job this morning!
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12 comments:
I suppose the breakfast was free! In this world, there is no free lunch, but there is free breakfast in Sibu...only during buy-election time!
Just wondering why you are so excited about being photographed like this? Is it his looks, moral standards, values, wealth,or his name?
The breakfast was not free, economically speaking. Someone got to foot the bill.
Just to pamper myself with a light moment amidst busy work schedule. BTW, were you at the dislogue?
Why everything in RH Hotel? RH untung all the by-election money or it is all FREE.
As the late Prof. Milton Friedman, a great monetary economist, said 40 years ago, "There is no such thing as free lunch." I trust what he said applies here.
Not all the by-election functions are at RH Hotel.
All these flashy pre-election cash allocations by Najib and free breakfast/etc just confirm that BN and SUPP are bankrupt of good, sensible developmental ideas, and ethical/moral values.
How much longer are Sibuians and Sarawakians going to continue to sacrifice your children's and your grandchildren's future for a few ringgits and empty promises today?
I bet all these functions and hotel stay must be "sponsored" by RH Hotel.
Hi Tony, I thought the dialogue is opened to the younger generations of Sibu. Just wondering the definition of "younger generations" as I notice that you are so excited in taking photo with an extremist's son.
Younger generations widely refer to those who are young or who feel that they are still young. BTW, have you cast your vote?
Another way of defining "young" beside using age as a yardstick.
I reckon in this particular context, being young could also mean being Internet savvy. Meaning having access to alternatives news beside the mainstreams. If that is the case, then age doesn't have much to do with being "young". MY 2 sen.
Hi Tony, I thought you held yourself to be a good christian? Why allowed yourself to be invovled in the buy election then?
Whether you like or dislike politic, one has to know about politic to know how to vote. Does not matter whether you are a Christian or a non-Christian.
As for Robert Lau. I notice he did not say "please" in asking the reporter to leave the hall. Not sure whether it will annoy the reporters or not.
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