The total cost of an Airbus A319 jetplane rented by the government, which Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak used to fly to Perth on Merdeka Day, has amounted to a whopping RM9.158 million so far for this year.
In a written reply to Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said the plane was used 155 times for domestic and overseas trips this year.
Nazri said the RM9.158 million involved fuel, parking and handling charges, catering and logistics costs for the cabin crew.
The aircraft was rented by the government on Aug 3, 2007, from Syarikat Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd for government VVIPs, he said.
"This includes the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the prime minister and the deputy prime minister," Nazri added.
Lim had asked the government to state the owner of the plane used by the premier on his recent trip to Perth, its frequency of use and the costs involved.
Following a tip-off from a reader, Malaysiakini had reported the premier's aides as having confirmed that Najib was away on Merdaka Day, but refused to explain the reason he was in Perth, other than to say he was on leave.
However, there was no formal announcement that the premier was taking leave, as is the normal procedure.
It was later confirmed that Najib had indeed flown to Perth for physiotherapy, following his knee surgery, and also for a holiday.
This sparked questions as to whether it was fair of the premier to go on holiday using government funds and a government-owned plane.
Aircraft owner Syarikat Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of federal government investment arm Khazanah Nasional Bhd.
Private company Jet Premier One (M) Sdn Bhd is reportedly the operator of the aircraft.
It was revealed in Parliament a year ago that Najib and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin spent RM21.4 million in taxpayers' funds on their various overseas trips since 2008.
In a written reply to Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said the plane was used 155 times for domestic and overseas trips this year.
Nazri said the RM9.158 million involved fuel, parking and handling charges, catering and logistics costs for the cabin crew. The aircraft was rented by the government on Aug 3, 2007, from Syarikat Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd for government VVIPs, he said.
"This includes the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the prime minister and the deputy prime minister," Nazri added.
Lim had asked the government to state the owner of the plane used by the premier on his recent trip to Perth, its frequency of use and the costs involved.
Following a tip-off from a reader, Malaysiakini had reported the premier's aides as having confirmed that Najib was away on Merdaka Day, but refused to explain the reason he was in Perth, other than to say he was on leave.
However, there was no formal announcement that the premier was taking leave, as is the normal procedure.
It was later confirmed that Najib had indeed flown to Perth for physiotherapy, following his knee surgery, and also for a holiday.
This sparked questions as to whether it was fair of the premier to go on holiday using government funds and a government-owned plane. Aircraft owner Syarikat Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of federal government investment arm Khazanah Nasional Bhd.
Private company Jet Premier One (M) Sdn Bhd is reportedly the operator of the aircraft.
It was revealed in Parliament a year ago that Najib and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin spent RM21.4 million in taxpayers' funds on their various overseas trips since 2008.
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