Azalina may have to get New Billboards if there is a new PM...

Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said must be seriously thinking about her new 'tourism billboards' - after all, come March 2009 all those large tourism billborads that has Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Mohd Najib Razak and of course, Azalina Othman herself may have to changed to potray the the new PM, new DPM and herself if she is still the Tourism Minister.

She is already taking steps to get into the potential winners of the PM-DPM race ...

Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said today said that the combination of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak and International Trade and Industries Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin would be the best for the country's leadership.

The former Puteri Umno chief and presently a member of Umno's Supreme Council, also said that the combination was proven as both leaders had worked together under both the leadership of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"Tan Sri Muhyiddin did say he can work with Datuk Seri Mohd Najib and I'm sure that Najib can also work with Muhyiddin. This shows that they are a good combination," she said after launching the Student Tourism Programme in Felda Semenchu, here today. - Bernama, 12/10/2008 - Najib- Muhyiddin Combination Good For The Country, Says Azalina

A friend of mine was wondering why Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's wife was not on those Billborads...only Najib's wife. Of course, when I looked closer, I noted that is was not Najib's wife but our new tourism Minister.

I think it is not right to put the Minister's own photo, or the picture of the PM and DPM. In tourism posters and Billboards place pictures of ordinary Malaysians (Make sure that it depicts the multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural aspects of the malaysian people as it was done previously...)

I believe that Azalina is not the only Minister using her position to do a bit of self-promotion. If not mistaken, I also saw our Agricultural Minister's image on one Billboard as well...Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin, if not mistaken.

Well, Kit Siang did raise this matter in August 2008...

Tourism Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said and her deputy Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib came under heavy fire from Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang for being absent during question time in parliament yesterday.

The DAP leader became infuriated when the two were not present to answer his question on the cost of putting up tourism promotion billboards along the North-South Highway.

Lim had also asked the rationale for having images of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Azalina on the billboards.

"Is there any scientific study on how these images can help promote tourism?" he asked in a question for oral reply...."What is the point of having their pictures (on the billboards)? This will not invite tourists but chase them away," he said.

...Eventually a copy of the answer prepared by the Tourism Minister was handed to Abdul Latiff and he read it out, saying that the ministry had placed 38 billboards along the highway through Tourism Malaysia.

"The billboards were placed at strategic locations along the highway at a rental cost of RM750,793.31 for the period of June to December 2008."- The Edge Daily, 22-08-2008: Kit Siang lambasts absent tourism minister, deputy

Next week Azalina may be the Finance Minister No. 3 - and we will have a new Tourism Minister --- will this mean new Billboards?

That is why what Azalina did must be condemned...

Were those billboards put up to get and remain in the good books of the PM-DPM? Was it to help ensure she remains Tourism Minister? Was it purely self promotion? Or was it an indication that after Najib - Azalina will be the next PM....mmm