Riza Aziz and Norashman Najib, who boarded the government jet used by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Rosmah Mansor to China, should pay the price of a commercial flight ticket back to the government, if the two are not government officials.

During a press conference at the Parliament lobby today, PKR vice-president and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli asked whether Riza or Norashman could be considered VVIPs, since they travelled on the official government jet.

Rafizi, who is also PKR secretary-general, said the revelation that Najib's stepson Riza, and son Norashman boarded the government's jet has raised several pressing questions.

“If the government jet is for the use of the country's VVIPs, does it mean that besides the PM's wife, it can also be used by the PM's son and stepson? Are they considered VVIPs, resulting in them boarding the government jet?” he asked.

“If they are not the country's VVIPs, what is the government’s guidelines on the usage of the government jet? Who is qualified? Can MPs like us use the jet?

“If Riza and Norashman are not VVIPs, did they pay the cost for boarding the government jet? How much do they pay, every time they use the government's jet?” Rafizi further asked.

The Pandan MP said he would seek to compel Riza and Norashman to pay for the costs of a commercial flight ticket every time they use the government's jet, including the recent trip to China.

Yesterday, Rafizi had asked in Parliament, while debating on Budget 2017, why Riza, who is connected to the 1MDB controversy, was on board the same flight with Najib and Rosmah.

Rosmah's aide, Rizal Mansor, explained that the Chinese government had invited the PM and his family for this trip.

Meanwhile, Rafizi said he had posed a question last May on Rosmah's trip to Turkey, involving a private jet with the tail number A6-CJE that was rented by the government.

He claimed that at the time, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said had tried to skirt the question by citing technicalities in her reply.

"The answer is the same every time we ask about the costs of using the government jet, which is paid for by the rakyat," he said.