KUALA LUMPUR – A video of Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man aiding in post-flood cleanup work in Baling, Kedah has made the rounds on social media, drawing flak from netizens.
The 21-second video was posted on TikTok by the minister’s special duties officer Mohd Zaidy Abdul Talib on Thursday, with the caption: “(Tuan Ibrahim) helping to clear the mud at the homes of Baling flood victims in Kg Iboi.”
“This is an instance of a PAS MP that can be made into an example.”
@zaidyabdultalib Yb Menteri KASA @titm_official membantu bersihkan lumpur dirumah mangsa #banjirbaling di #kampungiboibaling ini contoh #ybpas ♬ Yasir Lana - arief akdw
A quick scroll through the comments section of the video, which has since gained 236,600 shares, revealed that while the PAS deputy president had the support of some users, a majority were none too pleased with the supposedly performative act.
User @ada.ada.je.kau.ni said that the minister’s decision to show up on the ground hints at a looming general election, claiming that such acts will no longer be seen once the elections are over and done with.
“Ministers coming down and doing work is a sign that general elections are nearing. After the elections, you won’t see them doing such tasks while they continue to give the same promises,” he said.
Besides pointing out that the minister’s shoes and pants are relatively spotless in the video, despite being surrounded by mud, some users also called on the minister to focus on formulating preventive policies against such disasters.
“Enough of (these) politics. Ministers do not need to act to this extent, they just need to have a plan,” user @gman_legacy said, while user @lukmanmoidin expressed similar sentiments, saying: “The MPs in Malaysia have very good ‘wayang’.”
Another user by the name of @ijat9084 questioned why the minister had not used proper equipment, instead electing to manually push mud away using a wheelbarrow.
“A small bulldozer should have been used. It is 2022, there are many machines we can use. Work smart not work hard,” he lamented.
The mud floods in Baling on Monday caused hundreds of residents to be evacuated to several relief centres with more than 80 houses affected.
The bodies of three missing family members, including a four-month pregnant woman, were found the next day after strong currents swept their house away when floods hit Kg Iboi, Kupang.
Meanwhile on Twitter, user @A_HxrrxzThe1st reposted the video to the platform yesterday and has since garnered 923 retweets and roughly the same number of likes at press time.
Pelancong banjir ni ada dua jenis. Satu yg datang naik bot jenguk-jenguk saja. Satu lagi yg turun dlm lumpur dan berlakon konon-konon dia membantu tapi hanya sekadar membantu utk gambar saja.
— Afiq H. ?? (@A_HxrrxzThe1st) July 8, 2022
Jadi kita masih boleh klasifikasikan ini sbg pelancong banjir.pic.twitter.com/sig2VrSjEx
“There are two types of flood tourists. One that comes on boats just to peek and another who stands in the mud and acts as if he has helped but in actuality is only doing so for the pictures,” he said.
User @fuaddddddddd_mf noted that during his past experience as a flood volunteer, his attire was never as clean as Tuan Ibrahim’s appears to be.
Masa jadi volunteer dekat Temerloh tahun lepas, baik baju, muka dgn hp aku pun terpalit lumpur. Org tua ni bersih bethol. Sungguh bersih suci penampakan nya. ??
— Gajah ? (@fuaddddddddd_mf) July 8, 2022
“When I was a (flood) volunteer at Temerloh last year, my clothes, face and even handphone were covered in mud. This old man is so clean. His appearance is very clean and holy,” he sarcastically said.
User @domesticgod also chimed in, noting the insensitivity of having so many photographers around at a time when flood victims were facing tragic circumstances.
How many cameraman is hired for this photo opportunity? Meanwhile families are grieving over their property loss and loved one buried under the ground due to this man made incident
— islander (@domesticgod8) July 8, 2022
“How many cameramen were hired for this photo opportunity? Meanwhile, families are grieving over their property loss and loved ones buried under the ground due to this man-made incident,” they said. – The Vibes, July 9, 2022
