The government will not hold any Federal Territories Day celebrations this year in line with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s urging for austerity measures.    

Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the celebrations would be replaced by a ceremony to distribute aid to the needy.  

“I have cut the RM7 million allocated for the celebrations to RM1.5 million which will be distributed directly to orphans, the disabled, single mothers and the underprivileged ” he told reporters after prayers in conjunction with the 2014 Federal Territories Day at the Al-Imam Ash-Shafie Mosque in Taman Maluri in Kuala Lumpur yester evening.   

Also present were Kuala Lumpur Mayor Ahmad Phesal Talib and Federal Territories Ministry secretary-general Adnan Md Ikhsan.

Tengku Adnan distributed a RM10,000 cheque to the mosque and RM100 each to 18 orphans from around Taman Maluri after the prayers.

- Bernama