KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri
Muhyiddin Yassin said today that Cabinet would seek an
explanation from Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen over the
tourism ministry’s RM1.8 million expenditure to develop
six Facebook pages.
Muhyiddin said that if the tourism minister’s explanation
was not satisfactory, the government might investigate the
matter.
“I think the Cabinet will ask for a complete report from the
(tourism) minister tomorrow and she can explain the basis
of the expenditure,” he told reporters here today.
“The explanation has already been given in Parliament but
if people are unsatisfied then we can ask for a detailed
(report). We have nothing to hide especially when it
involves public expenditure.”
Yesterday Dr Ng appeared to have contradicted her
ministry’s detailed account of the cost for each page when
she said that the Facebook pages were free. Her deputy,
James Dawos Mamit, had told Parliament that each
Facebook page had cost RM293,072.
Dr Ng said the RM1.8 million would cover the cost of six
different campaigns over seven months, and included the
cost of contests and advertising on Google and Facebook.
DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke had said that unless Dr Ng
explained the reason behind the “exorbitant” costs for the
“social media branding” exercise, he would lodge a report
with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Citrawarna 1 Malaysia, the most popular page, has so far
attracted 20,292 Facebook fans since it was launched on
May 21.
The ministry had said that the RM1.8 million included
costs for designing, flash programming and coding, testing
and debugging, uploading and launching the application,
system server deployment and campaign management.
In March last year, Integrated Strategic Communications,
the advertising agency behind the award-winning
“Malaysia, Truly Asia” tourism campaign, charged that it
withdrew a bid to renew its contract with the Tourism
Ministry after being asked for bribes in exchange for the
deal.
Muhyiddin Yassin said today that Cabinet would seek an
explanation from Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen over the
tourism ministry’s RM1.8 million expenditure to develop
six Facebook pages.
Muhyiddin said that if the tourism minister’s explanation
was not satisfactory, the government might investigate the
matter.
“I think the Cabinet will ask for a complete report from the
(tourism) minister tomorrow and she can explain the basis
of the expenditure,” he told reporters here today.
“The explanation has already been given in Parliament but
if people are unsatisfied then we can ask for a detailed
(report). We have nothing to hide especially when it
involves public expenditure.”
Yesterday Dr Ng appeared to have contradicted her
ministry’s detailed account of the cost for each page when
she said that the Facebook pages were free. Her deputy,
James Dawos Mamit, had told Parliament that each
Facebook page had cost RM293,072.
Dr Ng said the RM1.8 million would cover the cost of six
different campaigns over seven months, and included the
cost of contests and advertising on Google and Facebook.
DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke had said that unless Dr Ng
explained the reason behind the “exorbitant” costs for the
“social media branding” exercise, he would lodge a report
with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Citrawarna 1 Malaysia, the most popular page, has so far
attracted 20,292 Facebook fans since it was launched on
May 21.
The ministry had said that the RM1.8 million included
costs for designing, flash programming and coding, testing
and debugging, uploading and launching the application,
system server deployment and campaign management.
In March last year, Integrated Strategic Communications,
the advertising agency behind the award-winning
“Malaysia, Truly Asia” tourism campaign, charged that it
withdrew a bid to renew its contract with the Tourism
Ministry after being asked for bribes in exchange for the
deal.
