The revelation that Malaysian ministers spent a staggering RM44 million on 236 official overseas trips in 2024 has sparked widespread calls for greater transparency and accountability.
A transparency watchdog, Malaysia Corruption Watch (MCW), along with various leaders, has urged the government to provide a full breakdown of these expenses to justify the necessity of such expenditures.
MCW president Jais Abdul Karim emphasized that while overseas visits can be valuable if they yield tangible benefits for the country, they must not be used as a mere luxury at the rakyat's expense. He stressed that if these trips lack clear purpose and impact, then the expenditure must be scrutinised.
Official records presented in the Dewan Rakyat revealed that the Foreign Affairs Minister topped the list with 39 trips, followed by the Prime Minister (19 trips) and the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister (18 trips). Other high-frequency travelers included the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister (15) and the Higher Education Minister (11). Meanwhile, ministers in charge of Youth and Sports, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, and Federal Territories took only one trip each.
Defending the expenses, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa explained that these official visits were part of Malaysia’s obligations in international organisations. However, critics argue that without clear financial disclosures, the rakyat remains in the dark about whether these trips served national interests or were simply unnecessary extravagance.
Jais has suggested creating a Ministerial Travel Integrity Framework to enforce strict guidelines on the necessity, cost-efficiency, and public disclosure of all overseas trips. He emphasized that a comprehensive expenditure report should be made publicly available to promote transparency and prevent fund mismanagement.
Former Cabinet minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz weighed in, recalling that during her 29-year tenure, all overseas trips, including those of the Prime Minister, required a Cabinet paper and advance cost approvals. She criticized the RM44 million expenditure as excessive, especially given the nation’s economic struggles. "Personally, I think RM44mil is over the top. Travelling a lot around the world during these difficult economic times is certainly not ‘madani’," she remarked, referring to the government’s slogan emphasizing good governance.
Opposition lawmakers, including Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, have also demanded justification for the spending, questioning why it surpasses expenditures from previous administrations.
With public sentiment increasingly sensitive to government spending, this issue highlights a critical need for stricter oversight and full disclosure. If ministers expect the rakyat to tighten their belts during economic uncertainty, then the same level of financial discipline should apply to those in power.
By: Kpost
Information Source: TheStar
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