Putrajaya mum on PM's flight expenditure

PARLIAMENT | Putrajaya has refused to reveal how much Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has spent on flights since becoming prime minister.

Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN-Alor Setar) had asked the prime minister to reveal how much the latter had spent on such travel and a list of the destinations.

In a written reply by Armizan Mohd Ali - the minister in charge of Sabah and Sarawak affairs and special functions - he stated that the use of a government jet was a privilege of every prime minister.

Armizan revealed Anwar had travelled abroad on the government executive jet (ACJ-320) nine times and 17 times on domestic flights that were either served by the Air Force's Bombardier Global Express or Dassault Falcon.

"The jets were only used for official government or special purposes. All costs involved are within appropriate (budget) estimates," said Armizan.

Good way

A similar question was posed by Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian), who, in addition, asked for a breakdown of the investments pledged during those foreign visits.

Armizan said Anwar has visited Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and China.

He said that the trips resulted in an estimated RM184.73 billion in potential investments and RM3.22 billion in potential exports.

"Official visits and conferences are a good way of promoting Malaysia to the international business community.

"Among others, we have held closed-door meetings with potential investors, seminars and roundtables," he said.

Specifically, Armizan said during the visit to Saudi Arabia in March, a deal was signed that will see the setting up of a semi-conductor factory in Negeri Sembilan, with an estimated Saudi investment of about RM50 million.

He added that memorandums of understanding were signed with Cambodia to import Cambodian workers. - Mkini