Ketupat, lemang won’t cost much, Saifuddin tells Kedah MB

 

Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (squatting, third from left) and General Operations Force personnel at an Aidilfitri celebration in Bukit Kayu Hitam. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has defended the government’s plans to host Hari Raya open houses in six states, insisting it will not cost a lot to hold such events.

Saifuddin said the events would not be a waste of public funds as the food items would not be expensive and he wondered why some were being calculative.“Ketupat and lemang will not cost that much. I don’t see any issue.

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“Cendol and ‘ice kacang’ are not expensive too,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

Saifuddin said this in response to Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor’s claims that such events would be costly to organise and were not in line with the federal government’s austerity drive.

He also dismissed Sanusi’s claim that the open house events were part of an election campaign in view of the state polls that would be held later this year.

Saifuddin said the Hari Raya open house events were to enable Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to meet the people.

He added that the PAS-led Kedah government, including Sanusi, was welcomed to attend the open house in the state on April 29.

Apart from Kedah, the Hari Raya open house will also be held in Penang (May 6); Negeri Sembilan (May 7); Kelantan (May 12); Terengganu (May 13) and Selangor (May 14). - FMT