KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has revealed that between 70 to 80 percent of the costs associated with his recent official visit to five countries were covered by private companies accompanying him on the trip.
Anwar explained that this approach, implemented under his administration, aims to ensure that government expenditure on official overseas trips is managed as efficiently as possible.
He added that the companies assisting with the funding of his travel had business and investment interests in Malaysia.
“I recognise that travel costs are typically high, so this time, in collaboration with the Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, we invited companies like Petronas, Sapura Energy, Yinson, Proton, and semiconductor firms to join the delegation. They cover the costs of travel,” Anwar said during the Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.
“Therefore, if I’m not mistaken, around 70 to 80 percent of the flight costs were borne by companies with business and investment interests, as the government supports these companies in terms of imports and exports,” he added.
Earlier reports indicated that Anwar had embarked on an 11-day tour, from November 9 to 19, to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Peru, and Brazil. The visit was focused on strengthening strategic partnerships and exploring significant investment opportunities for Malaysia.
Throughout the trip, Anwar led the Malaysian delegation to the 31st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week (AELW) in Peru, as well as the G20 Summit in Brazil.
Meanwhile, Anwar also highlighted the positive outcomes of Malaysia’s bilateral relations with the four countries he visited. These relationships, he said, not only yielded fruitful results but also helped further the government’s efforts to attract new business and investment.
He shared that Egypt had agreed to increase its palm oil imports from Malaysia and become a key port for exporting Malaysian palm oil to neighbouring African nations. Additionally, Proton Holdings Bhd received a positive reception in both the Arab and African markets, with the local assembly of the Proton Saga model in Egypt set to commence in December.
“In Brazil, Petronas secured a new exploration site, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva personally endorsing and supporting the project over the past year. Similarly, companies like Yinson Holdings Bhd also benefited,” he said during the Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.
Regarding the costs of his 11-day official trip from November 9 to 19, Anwar confirmed that these expenses were shared with the companies participating in the visit.
He made this statement in response to a supplementary question from Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) regarding the impact of the visit on Malaysia and the costs incurred by the government. – November 21, 2024