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Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘He applied, I approved': Anwar says of RM486,000 Japan trip bill for Dr Mahathir
MELAKA, June 13 — The government bears almost half a million ringgit in cost for former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's trip to Japan to attend the annual Nikkei conference last month, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar said the government allocated approximately RM486,000 for the visit after receiving a formal application from Tun Dr Mahathir. 'There are existing provisions for former prime ministers to apply (for government support for official travel)...and if the sitting prime minister approves, the government will bear the cost, including for Tun Mahathir, who recently requested to attend the Nikkei conference in Japan. He applied, and I approved. I believe the delegation was around seven people. 'I have people asking me why pay for him. He is entitled to apply, but the decision rests with the sitting prime I decided to approve that 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 (travel) application,' Anwar told reporters here yesterday. On May 30, Tun Dr Mahathir was reported to have attended and delivered a speech at the annual Nikkei Future of Asia conference, a platform he has regularly attended over the years. On separate development, Anwar said he is giving time to two Cabinet ministers who recently submitted resignation letters, encouraging them to reconsider their decisions. The Prime Minister said he received the letters from the two ministers applying for leave and resignation, but he had only approved the leave for now. '...Let them think about it. Personally, I would prefer that they rejoin the Cabinet,' he said. The ministers in question – Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli and Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad – reportedly submitted their resignations following defeats in recent party elections. The Prime Minister was met after attending an organisational empowerment seminar and a closed-door meeting with PKR leaders here today. Also present were two PKR vice-presidents Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, secretary-general Senator Fuziah Salleh, Wanita chief Fadhlina Sidek, Youth chief Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim and Hang Tuah Jaya division chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin. During the seminar, Anwar called on PKR members to heal internal rifts and put aside dissatisfaction following the party polls last also stressed the need for unity and maturity for the party's greater mission. 'Imagine this – I can work with Umno, even hugging it out. Surely we can move past our internal disagreements too. Let's move on for the bigger agenda,' he added. — Bernama
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘He applied, I approved': Anwar says of RM486,000 Japan trip bill for Dr M
MELAKA, June 13 — The government bears almost half a million ringgit in cost for former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's trip to Japan to attend the annual Nikkei conference last month, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar said the government allocated approximately RM486,000 for the visit after receiving a formal application from Tun Dr Mahathir. 'There are existing provisions for former prime ministers to apply (for government support for official travel)...and if the sitting prime minister approves, the government will bear the cost, including for Tun Mahathir, who recently requested to attend the Nikkei conference in Japan. He applied, and I approved. I believe the delegation was around seven people. 'I have people asking me why pay for him. He is entitled to apply, but the decision rests with the sitting prime I decided to approve that 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 (travel) application,' Anwar told reporters here yesterday. On May 30, Tun Dr Mahathir was reported to have attended and delivered a speech at the annual Nikkei Future of Asia conference, a platform he has regularly attended over the years. On separate development, Anwar said he is giving time to two Cabinet ministers who recently submitted resignation letters, encouraging them to reconsider their decisions. The Prime Minister said he received the letters from the two ministers applying for leave and resignation, but he had only approved the leave for now. '...Let them think about it. Personally, I would prefer that they rejoin the Cabinet,' he said. The ministers in question – Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli and Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad – reportedly submitted their resignations following defeats in recent party elections. The Prime Minister was met after attending an organisational empowerment seminar and a closed-door meeting with PKR leaders here today. Also present were two PKR vice-presidents Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, secretary-general Senator Fuziah Salleh, Wanita chief Fadhlina Sidek, Youth chief Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim and Hang Tuah Jaya division chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin. During the seminar, Anwar called on PKR members to heal internal rifts and put aside dissatisfaction following the party polls last month. He also stressed the need for unity and maturity for the party's greater mission. 'Imagine this – I can work with Umno, even hugging it out. Surely we can move past our internal disagreements too. Let's move on for the bigger agenda,' he added. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Govt spent RM486,000 on Dr M's Japan trip, says Anwar
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad discussed key regional and global issues at the Nikkei Future of Asia conference in Tokyo on May 30. (Facebook pic) MELAKA : The government covered nearly half a million ringgit in expenses for former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's trip to Japan to attend the annual Nikkei conference last month, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar said the government allocated approximately RM486,000 for the visit after receiving a formal application from Mahathir. He explained that there were provisions which allowed former prime ministers to apply for government support for official travel. The government will grant the application if it is approved by the sitting prime minister. 'He applied, and I approved. I believe the delegation comprised around seven people,' Anwar told reporters here. 'I have people asking me why we (the government) paid for him. He is entitled to apply… and I decided to approve RM486,000 for him to go to Japan. 'I just don't want anyone to misunderstand (this) or have a negative perception. Despite his daily criticisms of the government, we still approved his (travel) application.' Anwar was speaking to reporters after an empowerment seminar and a closed-door meeting with PKR leaders. On May 30, Mahathir was reported to have attended and delivered a speech at the annual Nikkei Future of Asia conference, an event he had regularly attended over the years. In a Facebook post on May 31, the 99-year-old reflected on his long participation in the forum, which he said he had attended almost every year since its inception 30 years ago.
