The Malaysian Insight

TERENGGANU executive councillor Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah has confirmed that Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar has returned to the country from abroad.

Questions arose over his whereabouts as the state was hit by its worst flood in years. 

He said Samsuri is already in the country and was on his way to Kuala Terengganu. 

“The MB is already in Malaysia today, he will be in Terengganu anytime,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

He was asked about Samsuri’s whereabouts as rumours swirled on social media that the menteri besar was on holiday with his family in Auckland, New Zealand. 

The number of victims displaced by the flood now stands at 40,000.

Last night, Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam weighed in on Samsuri’s whereabouts in a live broadcast on social media. 

Lokman alleged Samsuri and his wife left for Auckland on December 11 and are expected to return tomorrow.

Lokman also revealed Samsuri’s travel information, including a rental car receipt in Auckland.

Meanwhile, Wan Sukairi who is also Wakaf Mempelam assemblyman, slammed Lokman for only politicising the issue with the intention of attacking the PAS administration in Terengganu. 

He said that the PAS vice-president’s trip had been planned in advance and when Samsuri left the country, the flood situation was not that bad. 

In fact, he said, Samsuri had also made preparations to give instructions to all executive council members, elected representatives and government agencies on the floods.

“This issue should not arise. In fact, the enemy deliberately used this to make it appear as if the state government in Terengganu had failed. Even though this flood is said to be the worst, we managed to handle it well. 

“And before Samsuri went abroad, he had given instructions to our excos, assemblymen and government machinery and he had also visited several relief centres and places that were affected by the first wave. 

“He only went abroad when the flood had receded from the first wave,” he said. 

However, social media users have already slammed Samsuri for prioritising “family holidays” instead of handling current state affairs. 

This was after Samsuri thanked the Selangor government for donating about RM500,000 to Terengganu to flood victims and for pledging to mobilise humanitarian aid. 

Social media users commented on the post with sarcastic jibes at Samsuri over his apparent absence in assisting flood victims. 

Facebook users Faiz Amir, Mohd Aiman and Fazari Ghazali asked Samsuri, “Where are you, MB?”

On Twitter, users also questioned why Samsuri was not there to welcome Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had visited victims in Terengganu yesterday evening after the Dewan Rakyat sitting ended. – December 21, 2022.