Alamak! The opposition has been talking about this for ages, and yet, you only realised it now?

By finally having the guts to have this call (to government agencies) to cut costs on events, I guess this chap was trying to show that he is people-friendly.

Little does he realised that the opposition has been talking about all the wasteful spending of all government agencies, especially, while trying to enrich the connected fews!

That Jerai MP has just realised this? Or, he is sad that he was not among those who benefitted!
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The Star Online > Parliament

Thursday October 6, 2005

Call to cut costs on events

THE Government should cut down the number of conferences and other similar events as a way to save costs, a backbencher said.

Debating the Budget, Datuk Badruddin Amiruddin (BN – Jerai) said many of these events, which were held in five-star hotels, cost billions of ringgit and ate into the budgets of agencies.

“The money could have been better utilised. What is worse is that a lot of the costs are spent just on the opening ceremony,” he said.

Many of the effects used during launches, such as smoke and confetti cannons, were “a pure waste of money.”

Badruddin: Suggests holding events at government facilities instead of at top hotels

He also suggested that events should be held at government facilities, which would cost less than what was charged by five-star hotels.

“All this money should be spent on giving rural areas infrastructure. The people in rural areas want roads and bridges, not conferences,” he said.

Interjecting, Hamim Samuri (BN – Ledang) said the Finance Ministry and the Internal Security Ministry should be commended for not holding briefing sessions at hotels.

He said the Finance Ministry held its functions within the ministry while the Internal Security Ministry held its in Bukit Aman.

Badruddin welcomed the establishment of the Bumiputra Property Trust Fund announced in the Budget but noted that its establishment meant that the Urban Development Agency was a failure.

He said the agency had not been successful in helping Malays establish businesses in urban areas.

“This is what happens when you privatise a government agency. This happens because profits become the priority, not overcoming social issues,” he said.

He said the Government should ensure that any privatisation of a government agency would benefit everyone.

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