You get a contract, you get a contract, everybody gets a contract!
Transport Minister Anthony Loke was baffled when he discovered that the previous minister had engaged with public relation experts in order to boost the latter’s profile.
Source: Malay Mail Online
It was reported that the agency known as Pemandu Associates Sdn Bhd was awarded a contract worth RM800,000 to write weekly articles on The Star. Seeing this as a waste of taxpayers’ money, Loke has axed the programme effective immediately.
“We don’t need any company to give communications programme to the minister. I can communicate directly with all media without the help of any PR agency to help me in any communications programme.
“My officers are unsure what ministerial communications (entails). But, one of the scope is to help the minister write his weekly column in The Star and apparently such columns cost about RM800,000,” Loke said.
Loke has instructed his officers to cancel the contract as this is merely a PR exercise. He added that he’s fully capable of communicating with the media and he has been holding press conferences every day for free.
Source: The Star
However, there was no record showing that payment has been made to the PR company and the said company has not made any claim to the ministry yet.
“This clearly shows the past administration had spent on unnecessary things. Just imagine this is only one example,” he added.
We wonder how many unnecessary contracts like this were signed by the previous government and how much money was wasted. Anyway, good job to the new minister for closing the tap. Kipidap guys!
Also read: BN Spent RM20 Mil on Ads But Still Lost to PH’s RM800 Campaign Due to “1985” Strategy
