Breaking-of-fast events coupled with acts of charity during Ramadan by government ministries and agencies are a norm in Malaysia where VIPs can receive some publicity.
This year, one particular government agency - PR1MA Corporation Malaysia, a statutory body with a mandate to build "affordable homes" for the middle-income group - has come under scrutiny for such activities.
Critics say that PR1MA was being abused for political mileage at these events at a time when the company was suffering huge losses and, more importantly, legitimate home owners are suffering due to late deliveries.
Based on the agency's latest available annual report, it has a debt bill of RM4,403,906,096 and made a loss of RM69,520,200 as of Dec 31, 2018.
The number of home buyers who are affected by late deliveries are uncertain. Among those affected are buyers of Residency Tebrau in Johor and Residensi Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan.
Buyers have complained that they have to contend with late delivery despite having to make loan payments for their property.
'Generous' gift
Despite the complaints, for PR1MA, it would seem, charity does not start at home.
On April 18, PR1MA hosted a breaking-of-fast feast at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur, involving 300 guests, including some 100 media personnel.
PWTC is one of Kuala Lumpur's best-known convention centres, located in the heart of the city.
Several media personnel who attended the event told Malaysiakini that they received a tiffin carrier and a white envelope containing RM250 in cash.
"My boss told me to go cover the event as I was the nearest, coming from an earlier assignment," said one journalist.
"When I was there, each of us was given a three-tiered tiffin carrier as goodies. And then later, each of us got 'angpao'.
"When I opened the envelope, I was quite surprised as I did not expect to get such a generous amount."
Earlier that day, a text message had been circulating among media personnel claiming that "duit raya" would be handed out during the event.
CSR approved by PR1MA board
Witnesses told Malaysiakini that two men were involved in distributing the white envelopes. One allegedly carried a tote bag with the PR1MA logo which contained the envelopes.
"There was this one bag that contained the envelopes. Two men in kopiah carried it around to distribute it, table to table," said one witness.
PR1MA did not respond to requests for comments on those two men. Malaysiakini cannot independently verify if media personnel were the only ones who received the envelope.
In a written reply to Malaysiakini, PR1MA explained that the event was part of its corporate social responsibility programme known as PR1MAKita.
PR1MA said it had invited orphans, tahfiz school students and the press to pay tribute to them in view of Ramadan.
"Among the contributions (to the attendees) are cash, goods, facilities and labour resources. This had received approval from the members of the board," said the agency.
PR1MA did not respond to queries on the amount spent on the event.
Malaysiakini subsequently enquired about the role of a PR1MA executive at a separate, yet similar, breaking-of-fast event in Shah Alam on April 17 hosted by the Yayasan Pok Dan Kassim. This, too, did not receive a response.
Senator: It's a waste
PR1MA's recent charity during breaking-of-fast events has attracted criticism from Johor Bahru MP Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, who demanded to know how much did the agency spend on a separate feast on April 15, also at PWTC, as well as the role of the PR1MA executive at the April 17 event in Shah Alam.
Akmal noted that many Umno figures were present at both events.
"Don't do something that will cause (PR1MA) home buyers to feel like they are victims.
"These people have to pay the bank monthly for houses that have yet to be completed, yet you can host a big event like this," Akmal said in a statement on April 21.
Senator Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad also chimed in on his Facebook page by accusing PR1MA of prioritising religious obligations at the expense of performing their actual duties, noting that many government figures were present at the April 15 event.
He said PR1MA should not be wasting resources at a time when the agency is facing problems such as abandoned projects, late payment to contractors, and failing to sell existing stock.
"They have a lot of debts and problems, yet PR1MA is holding several feasts involving many government figures," wrote Kamarul, who is also a senator.
The Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia Act was passed in 2012 with the aim of building 500,000 affordable housing by 2018. As of March 31 this year, by PR1MA's own admission, only 20,587 units have been completed.
Another 24,756 units were under construction, and 7,420 other units are being planned. The agency has 62 projects across the country.
In December last year, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin told Parliament that there were 32 cancelled projects, and the government had so far spent RM172 million on compensations for 17 of them.
PR1MA did not respond to request for the full list of the 32 cancelled projects. - Mkini
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