Minister completely ignores MP's query on cost of PM's entourage

Minister completely ignores MP's query on cost of PM's entourage


The Dewan Rakyat speaker has been urged to order Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Abd Latiff Ahmad to answer a question he had previously ignored.

In a letter to speaker Azhar Azizan Harun, Teresa Kok (Harapan-Seputeh) explained that she had asked Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in Parliament for details - size, cost and number of non-governmental personnel - involved in the latter's recent visit to Japan.

Kok explained to Azhar that Latiff's written reply only contained the purpose of the official visit and its itinerary.

"The government should be transparent on (government) spending, including the official visit by the prime minister to Japan," she said.

Kok added that she has no intention of referring Latiff to the rights and privileges committee to be sanctioned but hoped that the speaker can compel an answer out of the government.

Ismail Sabri's visit to Japan in May drew the interest of netizens after photographs from official sources indicated that his son-in-law Jovian Mandagie was with him.

Indonesia-born Jovian, 36, is a fashion designer-turned-pharmaceutical entrepreneur.