RM414,000 spent on special envoys

The total amount does not include the envoys' salaries.

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM414,366.16 in expenses have been spent on Malaysia’s two special envoys to China (Ong Ka Ting) and India (S Samy Vellu) this year.

These details were revealed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz in the Dewan Rakyat today, in response to a query by PKR-Batu MP Tian Chua over the matter.

Samy Vellu, who is serving as Malaysia’s special envoy with a ministerial rank on infrastructure to India and South Asia, apparently racked up a total overall expenditure of RM373,071 in 2012 so far.

At the same time, he was paid a monthly salary of RM27, 227.20. The former MIC president also had on staff a private secretary, special officer, two special drivers, an office secretary and a police escort.

Ong, on the other hand, appeared to rack up a smaller amount, with expenses totalling RM41,295.16 in 2012 so far.

The former MCA president was also paid a monthly salary of RM20,000, and had on staff a senior and non-senior private secretary.

Nazri said that Ong himself suggested for less facilities.

Samy Vellu was appointed to his post on Jan 1, 2011 and his stint will end on Dec 31, 2012. Ong started work on Nov 1, 2011 and his appointment will end on Oct 31, 2013.

Former ministers have the edge

Tian also asked about Ong and Samy Vellu’s role as special envoys, given that Malaysia already has ambassadors to these countries.

He then asked how the government could appoint these two envoys, alleging that they were supposedly involved in matters of bribery.

This query irked Nazri, who termed Tian’s allegation as slander, denying that the two had been involved in corruption of any kind.

He said that it would have been a big mistake not to use Malaysians of Chinese and Indian heritage to deal with these economic powerhouses.

He said Samy Vellu was appointed because of his experience as works minister, besides his infrastructure-related connections with India.

Ong, Nazri added, shared similar connections with China. However, he said that Ong had language advantages over Malaysia’s embassy staff in China.

“We have an embassy there, but they [staff] are not fluent in Mandarin. But our special envoy is fluent in Mandarin, and can ease our relationship with China,” he said.

Nazri added that the envoys’ former status as ministers also gave them an edge over normal businessmen.

He said that people in these two countries would prefer to meet with former ministers rather than with everyday folk.