Putrajaya has REFUSED to disclose the COSTS incurred by the prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who had used the OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT JET to fly to Padang, Indonesia for an award ceremony recently.
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Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, however, revealed that besides Rosmah, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and other government delegates were on the flight.
Seremban MP Anthony Loke had asked in a parliamentary written question, the purpose for the August 27 trip, using a NR1 aircraft with the registration number 9M-NAA.
Shahidan said that Rosmah had flown to Padang to receive the highest Minangkabau award while the aircraft was also used by Najib for an official visit to Singapore.
"It is the government's official aircraft and was used for the prime minister's business.
"All the costs involved in the flight are estimated to be appropriate and in line with the service provided," Shahidan said in the written reply in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Rosmah had previously been embroiled in a controversy after she had used the government's official jet to attend a conference in Doha, Qatar.
Putrajaya came under severe criticism by the public and opposition politicians who questioned how it was approved.
Shahidan had said then that the Cabinet had approved Rosmah's use of the jet for that trip but PR lawmakers argued that it was a conflict of interest as the Cabinet was headed by Najib.
Loke said today he became aware of the latest trip through an informer in August after it was detected on a flight-tracking website, FlightRadar24.com.
"In the data dated August 27, it was revealed that the flight departed from Subang to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and then made its way to Padang, Indonesia.
“And on August 28, the aircraft flew from Padang to Singapore before heading back to KLIA and Subang.”
He said August 27 was the same day Rosmah received the highest Minangkabau award in Padang and then accompanied the prime minister as he launched the Malaysian Agrobazaar in Singapore.
Loke expressed disappointment that Putrajaya was hiding the costs incurred in using the aircraft, saying that this had never happened before.
"Every time I asked about figures, they always gave detailed answers. But not this time, it's like they want to keep it as a secret to avoid negative perception.”
He said the issue of Rosmah's right to use the government's official jet had been brought up in Parliament many times.
"I had asked this question last March about the costs incurred on her trip to Qatar and the answer they have was RM426,489.46," the DAP lawmaker said.
Loke hit out at Putrajaya for not revealing this latest information, saying that no minister could avoid answering any question from parliamentarians in the Dewan Rakyat.
"Every sen spent for the official use of the prime minister, his wife and any member of the administration comes from public funds and can be questioned.
"And if Parliament cannot give an answer, how can they guarantee the transparency in their expenditure?"
– October 8, 2014.
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