More than 13,000 have signed an online petition calling on Putrajaya to abort its RM85.5 million plan to revive the Special Affairs Department (Jasa) amid tough economic times during Covid-19 pandemic.
The petition also called for Budget 2021 to be defeated if the Perikatan Nasional government refused to budge.
It is targeting 15,000 supporters and has already gained more than 13,600 signatories in less than 24 hours it was launched.
Jasa was previously an agency intended to disseminate information about government policies but gained notoriety as it morphed into a de facto propaganda arm of Umno.
It was headed by Umno supreme council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi before its dissolution when the Pakatan Harapan government took over after the 2018 general election.
The Harapan government collapsed in March and the new PN government, which includes Umno, has quickly moved to revive the department.
A Bersatu minister will be tasked with Jasa's revival instead of a weakened Umno which now has to play second-fiddle to its splinter party.
The budget is parked under the Communications and Multimedia Ministry which is led by Saifuddin Abdullah. He was formerly with PKR but defected to Bersatu.
The petition noted that the government would be spending RM85.5 million to revive the department, comprising RM81.5 million under "new policy" and RM4 million under "strategic communications" in Budget 2021.
"An extreme government propaganda body since the Umno-BN era should not be using taxpayers money, particularly at a time when the people are facing health and economic crises brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The funding for Jasa must be cancelled or Budget 2021 rejected in whole," it said.
Jasa, under then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, saw its operatives defend the 1MDB scandal. Najib was the prime minister and Umno president from 2009 to 2018.
The scandal only unravelled after Najib lost power in the 2018 general election. International authorities have repatriated billions of ringgit in suspected stolen 1MDB funds to Malaysia following Najib's fall.
Najib has also been convicted of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd's funds, a former 1MDB subsidiary.
He was sentenced to a 12-year jail term but is appealing the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision.
Earlier today, Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan also defended the plan to revive Jasa, claiming that the era of Jasa being a propaganda tool had passed.
"I am made to understand that the government's intention is to ensure the government listens and understands the rakyat while the rakyat can receive information from the government (through Jasa)," he said.
BN secretary-general Annuar Musa, who is among the handful of Umno MPs friendly towards Prime Minister and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, had also voiced support for the plan.
He said the department will return with a new "image".
"Reviving it (Jasa) does not mean reviving it in the previous form. Do not be quick in making assumptions. Wait for the government's explanation," Annuar had said. - Mkini
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