I came across a seafood restaurant advertisement in a local paper yesterday on its official opening by the Malaysian Federal Minister of Housing and Local Government, Dato Seri Ong Ka Ting.

This reminds me of an incident some years ago when our Transport Minister Dato Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik came under heavy criticism by the Opposition DAP members of Parliament for skipping a Parliamentary session with our present deputy speaker (who was then a member of Parliament) to officiate at the official opening of his son Hee Leong's noodle shop.

This resulted in our Prime Minister issuing a directive for all Ministers and MP's to be present in the august chamber when Parliament is in session.

We are also constantly reminded by the press of another woman federal minister who has a particular fondness of officiating at functions involving expensive jewellery and designer time pieces.

What sort of message are political leaders like them trying to communicate to the public and the world?

While this sort of activity may not be frowned upon by the business community, who sometimes take advantage of friendship or business relationship with our honourable ministers, it certainly doesn't add to the dignity and prestige one attaches to the high office of a minister.

One would have thought that ministers should spend more time, especially during office hours, to concentrate on affairs of the state and doing their duty of improving the people's lot and serving the people rather than trying to enrich themselves while in office.

It was just reported in the press yesterday that hundreds of complaints were received about 50 housing developers over a mere two-week period.

One wonders whether such news run like water over a duck's back to Ong Ka Ting or is he just going through the motions of being a minister?

He certainly looks like a duck out of water acting the role of a minister!

Perhaps some of them are all too familiar with the saying, "Make hay while the sun shines ( for tomorrow could be a rainy day)".

This may certainly ring true in the ears of the likes of Ong Ka Ting and Dr Ling Liong Sik, who, after the recent Nanyang Press controversy and the near defeat at the hands of the MCA delegates at the EGM on June 24, may be wondering when their time will be up (if it is not already). Or maybe they are too preoccupied with graciously officiating at official openings.