It is not the role of the media to attract investments, says veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin.

After all, he added, the media does not have access to executive jets to play that role, unlike the prime minister's wife, Rosmah Mansor.

He also disagrees with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim that unlike Rosmah, the media has not done anything to attract investments.

NONE "I feel that reporters and the media have actually already played that role. Haven't positive news reports helped convince local and foreign investors to invest in the country?

"That is the role of the reporter - to write news and not to be a representative to attract foreign investment.

"Anyway, reporters don't have access to private jets or government jets to fly off here and there to attract investments," Kadir ( left ) wrote on his blog yesterday.

Shahidan, in defending Rosmah's use of the government executive jet for her trip to Qatar earlier this month, said she has done much to attract investments, unlike her critics, including the media.

Rosmah created controversy when she used the executive jet for her four-day "working trip" to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

According to Pengerang MP Azalina Othman, who accompanied Rosmah on the trip, the use of the jet was approved by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Azalina also said that the entourage included the wives of several ministers, media personnel and NGO leaders.

However, Malaysiakini understands that not everybody flew on the executive jet.

RM470,000 per flight

On Nov 7, Parliament was informed that private government aircraft trips in 2012 cost an average of RM470,000 per flight.

Replying to Anthony Loke (DAP-Seremban), Shahidan Kassim said the cost of the jets to the government includes RM14.95 million in fuel costs and RM160.08 million in maintenance costs .

NONE During her trip , Rosmah spoke at a conference, met with the Qatari prime minister, had tea with his wife, attended a fashion gala, witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding and met with the wife of the UAE prime minister.

Shahidan said the trip was " fruitful " and MPs should be thankful to Rosmah for doing this work for free.

However, Kadir said MPs and the rakyat have the right to raise the issue as it involved taxpayers' money.

"Don't worry. We will go back to the polls in less than five years. Our concern is that more things can be taken advantage of in this short period," the veteran journalist added.