Recently, when PM Anwar Ibrahim told Parliament, that 70-80% of the cost of international official trips were paid by private companies...ALARM BELLS WENT OFF
BRIBERY, CORRUPTION, ABUSE OF POWER, Equality/DISCRIMINATION/Preferential Treatment -- How were these private individuals/entities chosen? Was there an 'OPEN TENDER' like exercise that allows all Malaysian companies equal opportunity to all companies - how were they CHOSEN to accompany the PM on official visits???
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that about 70% to 80% of the costs of his official trips to five countries over the past two weeks were paid by private companies.
Being part of the Prime Minister’s overseas trip is a BIG DEAL for individuals and entities involved in business. It indirectly conveys the message that these are the persons or companies that the current Malaysian government 'endorse' or 'support'. It can certainly open up doors to new business opportunities. In the past, was Jho Low part of these Malaysian delegation?
So, how does PM Anwar and the Malaysian government determine which private individuals and companies accompany the PM in these trips? Open tender or....?
Did they 'bribe' to be part of the delegation? Besides paying about 75% of the cost, was there 'secret' payment or promises of 'payment' to any person(PM, Ministers, some aide, family members, etc) or some entity(political party, some 'charity', etc) Did these individuals/entity have to sign some agreement to support Anwar and/or the Unity Government?
Were certain government owned companies or Government Linked Companies 'forced' or 'ordered' to pay part of the cost of overseas trips - for the government to show at the end of the day the Federal Government did not spend TOO MUCH for these now about 39 overseas trips in the 24 months that Anwar has been Prime Minister? But is it also not OUR money when GLC pay for Anwar's trips...
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has gone on 39 official visits and work trips to 22 countries since he came into power, amounting to a cost of RM13.7 million, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
A lot of questions that now demand Honest Answers... but will the people get them?
Anwar wants to generate an 'international image' - but does he really need to take all these trips - can't he use the phone or use the internet.
To say that any Prime Minister managed to secure so much investment as a result of these overseas trips may be misleading - does it mean that if Anwar did not go personally, the investment would not be coming in?? Many a time, it is a lot of private individuals and entities that work hard for months to bring in some investments...so, to just say the Prime Minister did this is sometimes not wholly true...
Now, there is another issue of Anwar taking his family members on such trips...
How many in the delegation? Is it not enough for just Anwar and maybe 10 others to go - then they do not have to take a PLANE but travel first class on a scheduled flight - saving so much monies. Is MAS losing monies by charging the government lower than commercial rates???
Cost of flight, accommodation, food, internal travel, etc....Can the BILL for 39 overseas visits be only RM13.7 million?
What about GIFTS and other benefits that our PM gets - did he disclose that? Did he take it for himself? Maybe, Prime Minister must provide a detailed report. Gifts are for the PM of Malaysia, not for Anwar personally...???
Who should INVESTIGATE? Police, MACC, AUDITOR GENERAL, Parliament??? or some ROYAL COMMISSION of INQUIRY?
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim: These companies have business and investment interests in the countries (that I had) visited. So they paid for the fares and costs. If I'm not mistaken, around 70% to 80% of the flight costs were borne by these companies. In return, the government helps these companies, be it imports or exports.
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 21): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that about 70% to 80% of the costs of his official trips to five countries over the past two weeks were paid by private companies.
The companies included Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), Sapura Energy Bhd (KL:SAPNRG), Yinson Holdings Bhd (KL:YINSON), Proton Holdings Bhd and various semiconductor firms.
Anwar said he had worked with Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz to invite several companies to participate in the trips in an effort to manage the expenses of his official overseas visits more efficiently.
"These companies have business and investment interests in the countries (that I had) visited. So they paid for the fares and costs. If I'm not mistaken, around 70% to 80% of the flight costs were borne by these companies. In return, the government helps these companies, be it imports or exports," Anwar said during the weekly Prime Minister's Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said that the final total of the flight costs have yet to be detailed as he had only just returned from these visits.
"However, the costs were indeed high as the trips covered Kuala Lumpur, Cairo, Riyadh, Lima, Rio de Janeiro and Doha. It spanned three continents, but 75% of the costs were covered by the said companies," he said.
Bernama reported that Anwar had been on overseas visits since Nov 9, travelling to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Peru and Brazil, and only returning home on Wednesday night.
During
the 11-day official and working visits, Anwar led the Malaysian
delegation to key events, including the 31st Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders' Week (AELW), the G20 Summit, and
the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit. - Edge, 21/11/2024
PM's 39 official overseas trips cost RM13.7mil since 2022
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has gone on 39 official visits and work trips to 22 countries since he came into power, amounting to a cost of RM13.7 million, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
She said in return, Anwar secured potential investment values of RM353.6 billion in 2023 and RM82.6 billion from January to October this year.
"Among the investment commitments generated from the investment promotion missions during this period include sectors such as the digital economy (data centres), electrical and electronics (semiconductors), and chemicals (petrochemicals and chemical products)," she said in a Parliamentary written reply dated Oct 29.
She was responding to a question from Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) who asked for a list of the prime minister's overseas trips, the number of accompanying officers and the total expenditure incurred.
Zaliha said the purpose of Anwar's visits abroad was to strengthen and enhance diplomatic relations and cooperation with countries, including exploring new initiatives to further strengthen Malaysia's relationships with other countries and attending international conferences and meetings.
"These official visits and international conferences serve as excellent platforms to promote Malaysia and provide up-to-date information to the international business community on the country's economic position and business environment.
"The expenses for government officials accompanying the prime minister on overseas trips fall under the responsibility of their respective ministries. For security officers, the responsibility lies with the police and the Malaysian Armed Forces."
She said the expenses for Anwar's overseas visits consistently complied with the prevailing financial procedures, while also adopting prudent spending.
Each visit aimed for maximum output, she added, by adhering to the applicable regulations and optimising expenditure.
"The amount so far is considered to be reasonable and justified, taking into account the benefits obtained by the country based on the number of foreign investments that have expressed interest and have the potential to be realised," said Dr Zaliha. - NST, 30/10/2024
Probe PM over firms paying part of work trip costs, MACC urged
Bersatu Youth likens it to the case of ex-Singapore minister S Iswaran, who was convicted of corruption in September.
Bersatu Youth chief Hilman Idham said that if this were true, Anwar may have flouted the law, including Section 165 of the Penal Code, which deals with a “public servant obtaining any valuable thing, without consideration, from a person concerned in any proceeding or business transacted” by such public servant.
The Gombak Setia assemblyman likened it with the corruption charges slapped on Singapore’s former transport minister S Iswaran, saying that Iswaran was convicted under Section 165 of the city-state’s Penal Code.
“The provision that is in effect in Singapore is the same as that in Malaysia, because both Malaysia and Singapore’s (Penal Code) were based on English common law,” he said in a statement.
“The prime minister’s admission in Parliament yesterday has sparked questions and concerns as to whether the prime minister or government will help these companies in return following their willingness to partly cover the costs of the trips.
“We urge the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to initiate an investigation based on the prime minister’s statement.”
Hilman said MACC could launch an investigation under Section 16 of the MACC Act for the offence of accepting gratification.
Iswaran, 62, began his one-year prison sentence on Oct 7 after pleading guilty to four counts of receiving gifts worth over S$400,000 and one of obstructing justice.
The investigation centred on allegations that he accepted lavish gifts from a businessman that included tickets to English Premier League soccer matches, the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, London musicals, and a ride on a private jet.
Yesterday, Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat that several companies had subsidised the cost of his working visits to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Peru, Brazil and Qatar, which also included representatives from the firms in question.
The prime minister said the likes of Petronas, Sapura Energy, Yinson, and Proton had borne 70% to 80% of the cost.
In December 2022, just a month after Anwar took office, the Treasury issued a circular stating that the cost of civil servants’ overseas trips involving any procurement cannot be borne by private companies.
The circular said the costs of such trips must be predetermined and included in the contract with the successful tenderer. - FMT, 22/11/2024
There is no such thing as a free lunch. The Prime Minister must explain the details of the overseas trip funded by private enterprises.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated in Parliament yesterday that during his visits to five countries over the past two months, 80% of the costs were borne by private companies.
Following his statement, he needs to come forward and clarify why 80% of the costs for his recent overseas visits were funded by private companies. It must be questioned as to whether the government or the Prime Minister himself has committed to any form of reciprocal arrangements, leading to concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should intervene to ensure that there have not been any blurred lines of corruption. Corruption is to gain improper rewards by using one’s official position. The Prime Minister himself allowing private companies to cover the costs of government officials’ overseas visits raises suspicions of covert corruption. MACC should conduct investigations to ensure that the Prime Minister’s acceptance of these private enterprising funding for his overseas trips were given in a fully transparent and legal manner; it must be compliant with the nation’s regulations and guidelines.
This is not a matter of being stern, but a matter of accountability and transparency in governance. There is always a price to be paid for ‘free’ offerings, and ultimately, someone will end up footing the bill. In business terms, no company would engage in a loss-making venture.
MACC’s website clearly outlines that government officials are prohibited from accepting any form of gifts while conducting their duties; these gifts cover many forms and may include money, free tickets, stocks, lottery tickets, travel conveniences, entertainment, services, club memberships, any form of commission, gift baskets, ornaments, gold, and other valuables.
Datuk Seri Anwar often speaks about anti-corruption rhetoric. However, he is accepting ‘conveniences’ and ‘gifts’ from private enterprises, raising questions of whether there are contradictions in his words.
We need to bring to question why costs were not covered by the appropriate government administrative for expenses. If the Prime Minister’s overseas visits were genuinely necessary for official duties, why, then, should private companies bear the costs? Are his expenses so large that the government cannot afford them?
We urge the Prime Minister to clearly explain how much the 80% sponsorship amounts to, what it covers, and whether the private companies will receive equal or greater returns in exchange. We also urge for MACC to step in to conduct a fair and professional investigation to avoid public concerns over the possibility of collusion between officials and businesses.
In order to preserve the government’s credibility, the Prime Minister must provide a clear explanation, ensure that all sponsorship sources are transparent, and prove that there has been no exchange of benefits or conflict of interest involved.
Saw Yee Fung
MCA Youth Secretary General
22 November 2024 - MCA Website
Muda presses for transparency over private firms funding PM’s trips
The party says there are concerns that corporate interests could begin to influence government decisions and erode public trust.
Anwar had said the likes of Petronas, Sapura Energy, Yinson, and Proton had borne 70% to 80% of the cost of the trips.
Muda questioned how these firms were selected and whether there were any tangible benefits for these companies beyond mere sponsorship.
“Will other private companies with similar capabilities and resources have the same opportunities, ensuring fairness and transparency in the selection process?” it said in a statement today.
The party said there were concerns that relying on private companies to fund state visits could create a circle of powerful corporate allies, potentially leading to cronyism and compromising the impartiality of the government.
With private sponsorships becoming more common in the Madani government, it said, there were concerns that corporate interests could begin to influence government decisions.
“What steps will the Madani government take to restore public trust and ensure that the administration remains independent and accountable to the people?” it said.
Muda urged the prime minister to address these concerns directly, saying Malaysians deserve a government with the highest standard of integrity, free from corporate influence.
Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat this morning the government invited these companies which had business and investment interests to join these trips and they paid for the airfare and costs while the government assisted them in their import and export ventures.
He was asked by Paya Besar MP Shahar Abdullah about the financial implications and outcomes of his recent trips abroad.
Anwar said the cost of travelling to
Cairo (Egypt), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Lima (Peru), Rio de Janeiro
(Brazil) and Doha (Qatar) was high but that he did not have the exact
numbers. - FMT, 21/11/2024
Singapore's disgraced former minister S. Iswaran jailed in landmark case
EXPENSIVE GIFTS
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