KUALA LUMPUR: The country's eighth Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has denied claims that there was an expenditure of RM500 million for a publicity and advertising contract during the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government administration.
The 76-year-old Pagoh Member of Parliament (MP) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman clarified the matter while referring to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's statement which claimed that the PN administration before this had done the same.
"Anwar also claimed that the amount was against the rules and regulations while also being excessive.
"I would like to stress that this is a blatant lie because the written reply by the Minister in Prime Minister's Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali in the Dewan Rakyat on Feb 14 this year stated that the PN government only spent RM181,752.20 for branding," he said in a statement today.
Muhyiddin explained that the Madani government led by Anwar, which had not reached a year of being in government at the time, spent RM489,216.
"The written reply, response also mentioned that the Keluarga Malaysia government had spent RM62 million for the same purpose.
"The minister in the Prime Minister's department also explained that there was only one programme that was implemented during the PN government's administration seeing that the country was under the Movement Control Order (MCO) during that period of time.
"On May 25, during the Dewan Rakyat sitting, the same minister informed of the latest expenditure for the Malaysia Madani programme including advertising and promotion amounting to RM7.4 million," he said.
Muhyiddin said that at the time, the question asked by Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (PN - Kuala Kangsar) to the Prime Minister was to state the breakdown for the expenditure up till now for promotional and advertising purposes on the Malaysia Madani brand throughout the country.
"The statement was made by a minister from the Madani government in Parliament. It looks like Anwar is making an irrational statement which also contradicts the statement made by the minister in Parliament.
"I led the administration for the country during the Covid-19 pandemic. As far as I can remember, the use of huge advertisement billboards, television and radio at the time was to convey messages and information regarding the dangers of Covid-19, as well as information on the economic stimulus package and aid for the people.
"Notwithstanding the assurance made by Anwar on April 29 of this year regarding the judicious use of government funds towards the erection of enormous billboards featuring advertisements, a mere inspection reveals enormous billboards bearing the Madani motif in virtually every location," said Muhyiddin.
Muhyiddin, who is also former Menteri Besar of Johor, opined that Anwar's claim that the PN government purportedly spent that sum on promotional activities was a baseless allegation designed to tarnish the party's reputation among the general public.