'No such thing as free lunch' - Pejuang on PM's 'paid for' trips

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s revelation that private firms bore the lion’s share of the cost for his recent overseas trips across three continents and five countries has raised eyebrows, including those of Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali.

“There is no such thing as a free lunch,” he said in a statement this afternoon.

Although the prime minister described this as a cost-saving measure, Rafique said the question which arises is what these companies obtain in return.

Furthermore, he said if these firms are using their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) allocations to foot the bill, he questioned if it would be more beneficial to spend them on welfare and social programmes instead.

“Who are the owners of these companies?

“Are the owners of these companies the same people (bidding) for government projects?” he added.

Seeking clarification, Rafique asked if the sponsorships also covered accommodation, food and beverage, as well as other expenses.

“Was this only for the prime minister or others in his delegation as well? How about the public servants, staff from the Prime Minister’s Office, security, and protocol personnel?” he added.

Rafique cited reports from December 2022 quoting a Treasury circular stating that overseas travel costs incurred by civil servants for procurement-related matters can no longer be paid by private companies.

“It seems the prime minister himself has violated this circular. So why is this permitted for the prime minister, but not for civil servants?” he added.

Rafique urged the government to declare all costs for the recent trips, including details on each firm that footed the bills.

“All the companies, members of the board of directors, or shareholders must be disclosed,” he added.

Once the information is furnished, Rafique said the MACC must investigate to determine if there was any wrongdoing or abuse.

Yesterday, Anwar explained that approximately 70 to 80 percent of the costs associated with the official trips were borne by private companies accompanying the delegation.

‘Free things’ come with a price

Separately, MCA Youth secretary-general Saw Yee Fung urged the prime minister to explain whether any promises were made in return for the sponsorships, as this could raise concerns about conflicts of interest.

Saw suggested that the MACC investigate the matter to ensure that the sponsorships were conducted transparently, without breaching any rules, laws, or guidelines.

Failure to do so, she warned, could blur the lines of corruption.

“This is no longer just a matter of cost-saving; it’s about governance, accountability, and transparency. In business, no one makes a loss-making deal. Free things always come with a price, and eventually, someone pays for them.”

She pointed out that according to the MACC’s website, government officials are prohibited from accepting gifts of any kind in the course of their duties. These include money, free tickets, stocks, lotteries, travel privileges, entertainment, services, club memberships, commissions, gift baskets, ornaments, gold items, or other valuables.

“The prime minister frequently makes bold anti-corruption statements but accepts the ‘convenience’ and ‘gifts’ of private companies. Is this not a case of saying one thing and doing another?”

“Corruption refers to receiving improper rewards through the use of one’s position. Allowing private companies to cover the expenses of government officials’ overseas trips raises suspicions of whether this constitutes a form of disguised corruption,” she added.

Saw also questioned why, if the trips were necessary for official government business, the expenses were not already covered under proper government administrative budgets.

“Is the cost so large that the government cannot afford it and requires private sponsorship?”

She urged the prime minister to clarify the total amount involved in the 80 percent sponsorship, the specific items covered, and whether the private companies would receive equivalent or greater returns.

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