Upko chief submits motion to ‘fully abolish’ JASA

 

Wilfred Madius Tangau says he hopes to table his motion to abolish JASA, or whatever it is called, next week. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Tuaran MP Wilfred Madius Tangau has submitted a motion to abolish the Special Affairs Department (JASA), stating that he hopes to table it during the debate on the budget at the committee stage next week.

The Upko president said he submitted the motion yesterday under Standing Order 66(9), calling for funds allocated to the communications and multimedia ministry to be reduced by removing JASA’s allocation.

“I made this move to ensure that JASA, or whatever name the agency will go by, is fully abolished.

“I hope the Dewan Rakyat speaker will accept and allow me to table this motion at the committee-level debate on the budget for the communications and multimedia ministry,” he said in a statement today.

This follows Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s confirmation yesterday that the allocation for the controversial department will be reduced, hinting that some of the money would be redirected to other areas that needed additional allocations.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah had also given an assurance that JASA, which he said has been rebranded as the Community Communications Department (JKOM), will receive less than the original sum of RM85 million.

Saifuddin said the department was being set up to have “two-way communication between the rakyat and the government”, and promised that it would not be a propaganda tool.

“Not under my charge,” he said. - FMT