KUALA LUMPUR: With Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) set to broadcast more than half of the football matches of Fifa 2018 World Cup, a former Umno minister took to Twitter to air his thoughts on the matter.
Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim in a brief posting tonight zoomed in on the projected figure of RM40 million that the endeavour is said to cost.
"The proposal that RM40 million will be used for the festival of broadcasting the football matches on RTM must be rationalised by the minister," Dr Rais said, most likely referring to the Communication and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
Earlier today, it was Gobind who made the announcement that RTM will broadcast 41 out of 64 matches of the 2018 World Cup.
Gobind also said the broadcast will cost about RM40 million, which is expected to be substantially absorbed by sponsors.
“I can say now that the figures discussed in the Cabinet earlier could be about RM40 million, but of course there would be sponsors and so forth, who will absorb a substantial part of it," Gobind initially said, and then clarified that RM40 million was the ceiling, and he expected the cost to be lower.
Dr Rais who was previously Minister of Information, Communications and Culture under the Barisan Nasional (BN) government asked if the RM40 million figure was from advertisers or the government.
"If it is from the government, the policy of saving does not make sense.
"Plan with Astro, share the broadcasts. Save the country's money," Dr Rais added.
There are two types of broadcasting rights for the tournament – Pay TV and Free-To-Air rights or FTA.
In Malaysia the Pay TV broadcasting rights is held by satellite television network Astro. RTM is expected to take up the FTA.