Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan says his suggestion that Malaysians work two jobs should have been taken positively. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, December 30, 2015.Datuk Ahmad Maslan says he is being unfairly maligned by the media and the public following his call for Malaysians to take up two jobs to cope with the rising cost of living,
The deputy international trade and industry minister (pic, right) said his intentions had been good when he suggested that in addition to the jobs they already had, Malaysians look at starting online businesses.
According to him, what he had said was that Malaysians loved social media and could turn this into a profitable exercise by venturing into e-trade and e-commerce.
"Malaysians love the social media, like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter at wee hours, don't know how would that be beneficial (to them).
"If they learn about e-commerce, they will get revenue," he was quoted as saying by news portal Malaysiakini today after visiting the Malaysia Export Exhibition Centre.
Ahmad said what he had suggested should have been seen positively and not negatively.
His attempt to defend himself on Twitter by saying he held three jobs as a deputy minister, Pontian MP and Umno information chief, also backfired with him becoming the butt of jokes.
"I have three jobs: member of Parliament, deputy minister, Umno information chief. Many in Malaysia are already holding two jobs #2Kerja. Work hard for halal income," he had posted, using his Twitter handle @ahmadmaslan.
(Saya ada 3 kerja: Ahli Parlimen, Timb Menteri, Ketua Penerangan UMNO. Ramai dah di Msia yg buat #2Kerja. Berusaha gigih cari rezeki yg halal.)
Veteran Umno leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah also dismissed Ahmad's suggestion, saying that finding even one job in this day and age was difficult.
Local comedian Harith Iskander also appeared to take a dig at Ahmad, posting via Facebook and Twitter that although he was known as an emcee, writer and actor, among others, it did not mean he held so many jobs.
"I am a comedian, emcee, writer, actor, coach, director. That does NOT mean I have six jobs. It means I do six different things.
"In the context of a government servant, you could say I hold six different posts.
"A job is something you do every day all day. So for a person to have TWO jobs that would mean they work minimum 2x8 hour shifts a day.
"That’s 16 working hours. A day," he said. – December 30, 2015.
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