Jasa is political, no need to be apologetic, ex-Jasa head tells Saifuddin

 

The Special Affairs Department (Jasa) by nature is political and there is nothing to be apologetic about it, says its former director-general Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

The Umno supreme council leader said this in response to the Perikatan Nasional government's justification of an RM85.5 million plan to revive Jasa, which was dissolved by the previous Pakatan Harapan government.

The Communication and Multimedia Ministry yesterday defended the plan, stressing that Jasa won't be politically motivated. Bersatu had also assured that it won't become a propaganda outfit like in the past.

However, Puad said there was no need to be defensive.

"(Communications and Multimedia Minister) Saifuddin Abdullah does not need to be defensive by saying that Jasa is not political.

"In his statement, it said that Jasa will be an agency to disseminate information and conduct strategic communication for the government. 

"That is the purpose of Jasa. But it also related to politics. Don't be apologetic," he said.

Puad said the government of the day needs a mouthpiece.

"What is wrong with that?" he said on Facebook.

He said the DAP feared Jasa and that was why the party, which was part of the previous Harapan government, had pushed for its dissolution.

"DAP closed Jasa as a retaliation because Jasa was the most active in responding to DAP's lies on social media," he said.

Despite being a former Jasa man, Puad said the reason why this had become an issue was the quantum of allocation.

"The issue is the allocation of RM85.5 million for Jasa is too big. The budget is insensitive to priorities at a time when the country is facing the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic," he said.

The RM85.5 million budget is significantly higher to Jasa's last budget of RM30 million in 2018 under the BN government before it was dissolved when Harapan came to power after the May 9 general election that year.

Mohd Puad also questioned if the revived Jasa will serve as a vehicle for International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali.

Azmin leads a group of former PKR MPs who defected to Bersatu, including Saifuddin.

"WIll they (Jasa staff) become a vehicle for Bersatu in every state constituency for the 15th general election to compensate for their lack of grassroots?"

Puad suggested that the budget for Jasa should instead be reduced to the 2018 level before Budget 2021 is passed. - Mkini