KUALA LUMPUR: With Parliament to be dissolved on Saturday, Sports and Youth Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has asked for forgiveness from Malaysians.
"On the occasion of our last Cabinet meeting, I would like to apologise to the 'rakyat' for any shortcoming, mistake or weakness on my part as your servant over the last five years.
"I have tried my best to serve you to the best of my ability, guided by my abiding love for this country and a burning desire for a better Malaysia for each of her sons and daughters,” he wrote on Instagram.
Calling himself ‘old fashioned’, Khairy recalled how he waited for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to leave the Cabinet room to greet him.
He thanked the prime minister for giving him the honour of serving the country for the last five years.
"Truly, this has been the greatest honour of my life,” wrote Khairy, who has expressed hope to defend the parliamentary seat of Rembau in the 14th General Election.
He pointed out that the word Minister originally means ‘servant' in Latin and derives from the word “minus” meaning “less”.
And that is how he has always viewed his appointment over the last five years, as a servant to the people.
He said a minister should never be put on a pedestal of protocol, privilege and patronage.
"A minister must remember that the 'rakyat' owes him or her nothing.
"And that he or she owes the 'rakyat' every ounce of dedication and integrity for the trust they have given us to serve the country,” he wrote.
His humility was well-received by netizens, with more than 26,000 likes for the Instagram posting, in which Khairy took a wefie with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
Netizens commended Khairy’s performance as a minister and encouraged him to keep up the good work.
Instagram user Sarasvati_doraisamy commented: “You've done a good for the youth and sports development! Appreciate it!”
Harriesnazreen hopes that Khairy will continue to lead the nation.
"Other ministers can go, but you, please stay in your position,” he said.
Khairy is a two-term incumbent in Rembau.
In the last election, he polled a majority of 18,357 against PKR's Radzali A. Ghani and independent Abdul Aziz Hassan.