PMX chopper ride over Batu Puteh is massive leakage, “can just take virtual Google Map trip”

 

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent helicopter ride with de facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said to catch a bird’s-eye view of Pulau Batu Puteh and Middle Rock off the Johor waters has come under fire from detractors for being “economically insensitive”.

For starters, the UMNO information chief who is also the Pengerang MP had impressed upon PMX that many folks in her constituency were unhappy with how Malaysia has lost to Singapore the review of Batu Puteh’s sovereignty.

“It’s as if so close yet still so far. We lost the opportunity because Malaysia withdrew from the review process in May 2018,” she penned in a social media post.

However, the excitement of the chopper ride was marred by a somehow constructive criticism by finfluencer Syahir (@syahir) who described the aerial adventure as having “zero sensitivity”.

“Is there really a need to post a photo of going up in a helicopter in the middle of an energy crisis like this?” berated the financially-savvy digital creator.

“You (Azalia) could just inform the Pengerang folks that the PM is hearing their complaints without posting this photo, right? I bet even PMX or the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) wouldn’t post a photo of the chopper ride.”

‘Imprudent adventure’

However, to Syahir’s dismay, a commenter shared that PMX himself has re-posted Azalina’s original post of their ‘working excursion’.

Aside from Syahir, anti-graft site #TangkapAzamBaki (@SetiaKEADILAN) also hit out that “the price of kerosene-based helicopter fuel is 2x more expensive than diesel?”

“Who pays for the helicopter? Yes, the rakyat! All of us! But the rakyat are being urged to alter their lifestyle! Thank you PMX!” it sarcastically remarked.

Optic-wise, the wastage is glaring even for a work trip especially on the back of the most recent fuel price hike, especially that of diesel by 70 sen to RM6.72/litre.

On top of that, there is a call by the Peninsular Malaysia Government Midwives and Community Nurses Union for Putrajaya to restore the 300-litre fuel subsidy as many nurses travel up to 30 km daily at their own expense.

The group said nurses also often use personal vehicles for home visits, making the current 200-litre subsidy insufficient, reported Berita Harian.

Madani critic Datuk Eric See-To summed up the situation best when he cautioned that “a six-person helicopter burns 100 to 150 liters of fuel to commute from JB (presumably back and forth)”.

“This is even when one can already capture a 1.1km view on Google Maps. It doesn’t take more than two seconds to search online for a picture,” he jibed in a Facebook post.

If you follow the government’s advice during the Strait of Hormuz crisis, the rakyat have been encouraged to work from home, save fuel, set the air conditioner to 24°C, save electricity and in short, reduce energy consumption or simply, everyone has to sacrifice.

Yet PMX also said “let’s take a helicopter ride”, supposedly to see for himself the distance between Pulau Batu Puteh and Middle Rocks.

But thar’s fine because he doesn’t draw a salary, right? –  Focus Malaysia