MCA Youth slams govt over Dr M's RM486k Japan trip

Summary

• MCA Youth’s Lee Kok Seng questions govt’s justification for allocating RM486,000 to fund Dr M’s two-day trip to Japan.

• He urges govt to stop extravagant spending, review travel funding policies, and focus on Malaysians in real need.

MCA Youth criticised the government’s decision to approve RM486,000 expenditure for former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s two-day trip to Japan for the Nikkei Forum last month, questioning its financial priorities at a time of economic strain.

“Who is really tightening their belts? The people, or you, so-called reformist leaders?” MCA Youth central committee member Lee Kok Seng asked in a statement today.

He pointed out that the average Malaysian worker earns less than RM25,000 a year, yet the government could allocate nearly half a million ringgit for seven people to travel abroad for just two days.

Lee also calculated that the average cost per person based on the total allocation was RM69,000.

“Even if you include travel days, three nights of hotel stay, business class tickets, daily allowances and meals, it’s still impossible to justify such an outrageous amount,” he said.

“Did they stay in presidential suites, dine on bluefin tuna, and drink red wine from 1982? Otherwise, how could it possibly cost RM69,000 per person?”

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim revealed the allocation recently, saying the government had approved the funds after receiving a formal application from Mahathir.

“He applied, and I approved. I believe the delegation was around seven people.

“I have people asking me why. He is entitled to apply, but the decision rests with the sitting prime minister… and I approved RM486,000 for him to go to Japan.

“I just don’t want anyone to misunderstand. I just don’t want to take a negative attitude. Despite his daily criticisms of the government, we still approved his application,” Bernama quoted Anwar as saying last week.

Too many contradictions

Lee contrasted this with how small business owners face far more scrutiny for smaller sums.

“If a hawker applies for a RM5,000 start-up grant, they’d be interrogated with endless questions and made to wait six months or even a year.

“But here, the government easily allocates hundreds of thousands.”

He further criticised the government for preaching about cutting waste and saving for the people, yet approving large-scale expenses for political figures.

“We’ve seen far too many contradictions: hawkers struggling over the price of a gas cylinder, farmers queueing for diesel subsidies, while leaders travel abroad in luxury - flying first class, dining lavishly, all on the people’s money - and still claim they’ve made ‘well-considered’ decisions,” he said.

Lee urged the government to halt such irresponsible spending immediately, conduct a thorough review of overseas travel allocation policies, and refocus its attention on the needs of ordinary Malaysians who are struggling daily.

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