RM100 mil cap on govt ads, policy promotion starting next year: Anwar
RM100 mil cap on govt ads, policy promotion starting next year: Anwar
RM100 mil cap on govt ads, policy promotion starting next year: Anwar
By Rebekah Teo
KUALA LUMPUR – The government has capped the expenditure allocation on promotional advertisements for its policies at RM100 mil starting next year.
At the Dewan Rakyat today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Tambun-PH) said that the 3-year period between 2020 and 2022 saw an expenditure of RM700 mil in publicising the government’s policies through advertising, promotion and publicity under Former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration.
The expenditure as of October 2023 has not reached RM100 million and is based on the contract that was signed last year before the Unity Government took over, Anwar said in a parliamentary written reply.
“(The Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration) did not spend (as much as Muhyiddin) because there was a surplus. That is why, in 2023, I don't have anything to allocate other than (deciding to) continue the existing contract.
“For the year 2024, I have instructed the Finance Ministry to avoid approving more than RM100 mil,” he said in response to an original question by P. Prabakaran (Batu-PH).
He also said that the government should not be burdened with additional advertisements and publicity for promotion.
“We use existing machinery, and we have also encouraged ministers and deputy ministers in parliament to (go to the ground and speak to the people). Apart from the usual programs, help (is needed) to explain to the people.
“The allocation that I have mentioned will be used to prepare a few advertisements or publications that are able to provide further explanation,” he said in response to a supplementary question by P. Prabakaran (Batu-PH).
Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (Indera Mahkota-PN) said in a supplementary question that the large amount of expenditure during Muhyiddin’s administration was during Covid-19, and that it could be justified because many explanations about Covid-19 needed to be made to the people.
“Many (billboard advertisements and book publications) are made directly from the Prime Minister’s office. Advertising money is paid to certain media to promote the Prime Minister as well as the government.
“This, including publicity, ensures that many billboards and so on are distributed for the promotion of the Prime Minister, but I admit that there may have been explanations about a few government programs included during Covid (season),” he said in response to Saifuddin.
– November 7, 2023
