PARLIAMENT | International Trade and Industries Minister Azmin Ali has denied that he brought family members with him on a trade and investment mission to Europe last October.
His denial came after being questioned by RSN Rayer (Pakatan Harapan-Jelutong) on the matter in the Dewan Rakyat today.
“Every expense in the Miti trade mission is in line with financial procedures and protocols because before the trade mission was approved, it was tabled in a cabinet meeting.
“Every detail, the list of delegation, the allocation, spending, destination, everything was examined and was approved by the cabinet, in line with financial regulations and procedures.
“I deny the accusation from Jelutong (Rayer),” Azmin (above) said.
Rayer had interjected while Azmin was winding up the committee stage of his ministry’s allocations under Budget 2022 to ask the minister whether he brought family members with him in his official trip in October.
“I just want to ask for an explanation on whether it is true, as reported by the media, that the minister brought family members with him in the trip to London in October,” the Jelutong MP had said.
Check and balance
Initially, Dewan Rakyat speaker Azizan Azhar Harun had attempted to stop Rayer from asking the question, as he said it is not related to the details of the ministry’s allocation under the budget.
However, after Ong Kian Ming (Harapan-Bangi) explained that every ministry has allocations for official overseas trips and missions, the speaker had left it to Azmin’s prerogative to answer Rayer’s question.
After Azmin denied the claims, Rayer insisted it was not an accusation as he was only trying to perform his duty as opposition by being a check and balance to the government.
“Do not belittle our efforts to check and balance. I was not making accusations. I was asking a question on behalf of the rakyat. What is the wrong in that?” he asked.
In October, it was reported that Azmin and senior Miti officials had gone on a trade and investment mission to Germany, France and the UK between Oct 13 to Oct 21. - Mkini
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