AS a senior citizen and someone who keeps a close tab on developments in our beloved nation, it really surprises and shocks me how a simple slip of the tongue by a particular minister could become news material.

I mean, seriously, from looking at the clip it can easily be concluded that it was a non-malicious statement and something just said out of jest.

Are we trying to imply that the numerous corruptions, sexual abuse, abuse of power and other scandals are all less sensational than this orangutan statement?

Why aren’t cases of alleged corrupt practices involving high-ranking officials, sexual misconduct involving minister and the likes given such prominence in the media?

For a senior voter like me, it makes me think…just where are our priorities?

Something like this should not even be played up in the media…it is not even newsworthy. This is worthless gossip which should not even be worth the time nor space.

Also, I wonder why the politicians who first tweeted about the incident did so?

Were they hoping to gain some political mileage by picking on another politician?

Or were they just upset that the minister concerned left their party and made it as a minister?

Whatever the reason, it is not worth the time and should just be swept under the carpet. There are much bigger and greater issue affecting our nation now which needs urgent attention.

Hats off to the minister concerned for now overreacting and jumping to defend herself. To many of us, it was merely a statement in jest and should be left at that.

The orangutan is our pride and I am sure someone like the minister concerned certainly knows this and would do nothing to harm this beautiful animal. – Jan 21, 2022

Andrew Seah is contributor to FocusM.

https://focusmalaysia.my/of-zuraida-and-orangutans-why-all-the-fuss-over-nothing/