Dr Sam’s “big talk” in Manchester’s Pakistani restaurant leaves a sour aftertaste

TERENGGANU Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar a.k.a. Dr Sam recently found himself under scrutiny over a supposed “intellectual and professional dialogue” to take place in Manchester, England.

The event, supposedly scheduled for Dec 22, was marketed in publicity materials to discuss SG4’s (Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis.) potential to drive Malaysia’s socio-economic agenda.

But as with many political spectacles, the devil is in the details.

A flyer for the event which went viral on social media revealed an unexpected twist: the dialogue was to be held in a Pakistani-owned restaurant – a venue that while undoubtedly humble, hardly aligns with the dignity one should accord to an event of such importance.

As Madani government backer Mr.Nazril (@Nazril_Iznil) put it, “the trip was reportedly under the pretext of an ‘invitation’ from the UK government, supposedly to discuss investment and development opportunities for the state.

However, what turned out to be surprising is that the programme in question was actually held at a restaurant owned by the UK Pakistani community.

Why would a leader of Dr Sam’s stature – one often touted as PAS’ prime ministerial candidate – choose what is effectively the UK equivalent of a mamak eatery to host such an important dialogue?

If the event aimed to court international investors or boost Terengganu’s profile, surely the choice of venue would not reflect well on such tall ambition?

What makes this episode even more perplexing is the deafening silence from the PAS vice-president himself. Neither his social media accounts nor official government platforms have any trace of the event.

As pointed out by another pro-Pakatan Harapan (PH) influencer JOKER 🔺(@tjerealjoker), there are no videos, photos nor official responses – in fact, nothing to validate if indeed the event has taken place.

And if it did, what was so sensitive till the Menteri Besar couldn’t share even a photo-op of it?

However, some PAS apologists like Fairuz 🇲🇾 法瑞斯 🇲🇾 فيروز (@fairuz_azmi83) have rushed to Samsuri’s side, touting his academic credentials – a PhD in Aeroengine ignition and combustion from the University of Leeds – as proof of his capability.

While his educational background is undoubtedly impressive, it does little to address the public’s core concerns: What tangible outcomes did this trip deliver for the people of Terengganu? How much did it cost? And why was the event, ostensibly aimed at promoting socio-economic opportunities, held in obscurity?

These are not trivial questions. Terengganu remains a state grappling with economic challenges like high unemployment, over-reliance on oil royalties and limited diversification.

The rakyat has every right to demand that their leaders’ overseas endeavours translate into meaningful progress – not poorly executed optics.

As PAS eyes federal power with Dr Sam seen as a key figure in its ambitions, such missteps could prove costly.

Leaders who seek to govern the nation must understand that style without substance doesn’t cut it anymore. The rakyat are watching and they expect more than vague promises and cryptic trips to foreign lands.

For now, this Manchester dialogue has left more questions than answers. – Dec 27, 2024

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