KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim responded to criticism regarding his official overseas trips, which were claimed to be financed by private companies.

Speaking at a town hall session at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here, Anwar said the government encouraged private companies with investment potential to cover travel expenses when joining government delegations.

“I recently travelled to five countries, of course using Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flights, which involve significant expenses.

“So, we encourage private companies with potential, whether they are investing or planning to invest, to join the delegation and bear the costs. Is that wrong?,” he said during the programme, held in conjunction with the two-year anniversary of the Madani government on Saturday (Nov 23).

Anwar, also the Finance Minister, said he does not entertain trivial matters or statements that do not contribute to progress, even in Parliament.

On Friday (Nov 22), Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government saved almost RM1mil by using a privately chartered flight for the Prime Minister’s recent working and official visits abroad.

Fahmi said the cost of using the Malaysia Airlines Airbus A350 was RM6.162mil. Of the total cost, the government paid RM1.662mil or 27%, while the business delegation covered the remaining RM4.5mil.

On Thursday (Nov 21), Anwar informed the Dewan Rakyat about a new strategy that has been implemented to reduce expenses during official overseas visits. He stated that private companies involved in the trade aspects of these trips would cover approximately 75% of the total travel costs.

This prompted opposition lawmakers to call for greater transparency, raising concerns that corporate interests could influence government decisions and erode public trust.

Anwar returned to Malaysia on Wednesday (Nov 20) after completing visits to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Peru, and Brazil from Nov 9 to 19.

He also led the Malaysian delegation to the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Week (AELW) in Peru and the G20 Summit in Brazil.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/11/23/anwar-defends-official-trips-abroad-at-town-hall