By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal | The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — The DAP wants the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to explain why RM76.8 million (US$24.2 million) was paid to APCO Worldwide, the public relations consultancy engaged by the Najib administration.
DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang told reporters here in Parliament that a proper explanation was needed on why such an exorbitant amount of money was paid to the consultancy firm.
“A proper explanation should be given, at least at the committee stage (of the 2010 Supplementary Bill).”
“Why are millions being spent just for the purpose of the Prime Minister and the 1 Malaysia concept?” said Lim.
The government paid RM76.8 million to APCO Worldwide, the international public relations consultancy linked by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders to Israel, for its services from last July until June this year.
The amount was revealed yesterday by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, in a written reply to a question in Parliament from PKR MP, Chua Tian Chang.
Chua had disclosed this to reporters yesterday, and pointed out that the amount far exceeded the RM28 million mentioned by Nazri previously.
The minister’s written reply provided a breakdown of the fee paid by the government to APCO, starting from July 15, 2009 until June 4, 2010.
Nazri, when approached by The Malaysian Insider had praised APCO for successfully repairing Malaysia’s image in the United States, and credited the consultancy for Prime Minister Datu Seri Najib Razak’s meeting with US President Barack Obama as proof of its success.
“It will be more worthwhile for Najib to get his own ministers to say “Malaysian first, race second.”
“Every time I say this to BN MPs, they will run for their life, the backbenchers, Tsu Koon,” said the DAP’s Lim today.
Lim, who is Ipoh Timur MP, claimed that Najib should train his sights on fixing the credibility of his own Cabinet.
“This is disgraceful, Najib should focus more on the credibility of his 1 Malaysia team, otherwise the whole Cabinet should resign,” added the DAP man.
#1 by dagen on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 3:27 pm
Going by umno’s established work order, the costs of any gobermen job must be increased by 10 – 20 or more folds. A 2000 laptop can be increased to 40,000. So take a median; i.e. 15 folds. So the real payment for the Apco job is only 76/15, or about 5m ringgit.
5m for some year long publicity. That is not a lot really. But we are pharked for 71m. That money is lying in some umnoputra’s drawer somewhere overseas.
#2 by johnnypok on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 3:30 pm
The money could have been used to give out scholarships, and to help the poor students in Sabah and Sarawak.
Don’t forget Sabah and Sarawak contribute a large portion of the revenue to keep Malaysia alive.
If they continue to waste money like this, it is better for Sabah and Sarawak to pull out as soon as possible.
#3 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 3:32 pm
RM78mil to get a meeting with Obama? I can get one without paying a dime. LKY and Lee Hsien Loong can drop in anytime and Obama will send the car for him. What is wrong with these people..???
#4 by dagen on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 3:42 pm
Sorry off topic.
Someone started a voter get voter movement which is commendable.
This time round the orang asli in peninsular are quite vocal. Drawing on the voter get voter experience, can an avenue or channel be set up for the orang asli in peninsular to communicate with those people living deep in the jungle of sabah and sarawak?
#5 by Godfather on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 4:01 pm
Nothing of this magnitude gets approved by the leadership without some Umnoputra intermediary getting a cut of the fees. Who was the lucky guy ?
Ask Ibrahim Katak whether Perkasa agrees with this expenditure.
#6 by Godfather on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 4:04 pm
Kit:
Get Anwar to call his contacts at Washington DC and find out who actually received the money. You might be surprised to find out that the lobbying fees received by APCO is only a fraction of the fees paid by this stupeed government. Of course the rest is classified as “leakage”.
#7 by monsterball on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 4:12 pm
That’s the kind of double headed snakes we have in UMNO BARU.
Our passport says..”No entry to Isreal”
Mahathir.. so call Muslim champion kept firing..how cruel Isreal is to Palestinians…telling all Malaysians…keep away from Isreal.
Out come…Najib asking help from the devils.
When dirty politicians are concern…Najib will break every rule…including insulting Allah…for his own personal survivals.
It shows clearly..how hypocritical Najib is…doing what and how the like…with their most sickening double standards…laws and orders.
#8 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 5:57 pm
I don’t see how the RM76m spent could benefit the country or the rakyat.
#9 by monsterball on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 7:05 pm
Billions are spent and stolen to enrich themselves and the party to buy up loyalties and the country..in the past…and millions are lost by Straits Times just to keep on publishing one sides news and half truths. Star does not follow same style…Najib will close the paper. Therefore…you can also say…MCA and their puppets get rich by carrying UMNO balls non stop …all the time like Chengho and poo naibor Limkumput.
This RM76m is paid to a Jewish company to help UMNO BARU….not one sen will eve benefit Malaysians.
Yes…using tax payers money and country’s natural wealth income…like nobody’s business…more and more shows how desperate Najib is.
Partnering with Isrealites ….the so call arch enemy of Malaysia with seeds shown long ago..on and on…now UMNO turncoat and ask for help …paying such huge sums…is to them…..small change when UMNO is so used to spend billions…for this and that…all no benefit to Malaysians.
It will show few years of benefits…to shut people’s mouth…then suddenly…schools roof collapsed…thousands of computers became out dated and faulty….tables and chair legs…falling off…a dozen multi million projects…half finished….all blaming others..ignoring such are the signs of massive corruptions..can only due to under table bribes and commission….taken up…approve the tenders…and ignoring final check ups….with proper professionals…that are non corrupted….but are corrupted…and in the end..Malaysians are made suckers by UMNO government.
Najib and his bunch of crooks will keep on diverting Malaysians attentions…and trying to steal as much as they can….for without money to bribe and buy voters….Najib is finished.
Wait for another round of fear and tensions to be created..hoping all will make the country upside down…topsy turvy…with excuses to declare Emergency Rule.
From the past exercises they did….all failed.
#10 by kpt99 on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 7:23 pm
Ybs Lim demand the government to list the great achievements of APCO until now since its establishment.Is it really suitable for a multiracial,multicultural and multi-religious country like Malaisie.So far what Malaisie has gain from the contract with APCO ?
#11 by sheriff singh on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 8:40 pm
Its RM 76 million PER ANNUM. So you count the final cost.
So what are the full terms of the contract? Any commissions paid to anyone?
Will there be another C4 victim?
#12 by limkamput on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 9:25 pm
RM76 million spent justified? Ask Singapore Government how much they spent on lobbying fee when LKY was given the honour to address the Joint Houses of the Congress. If we have to spent millions to get a few minutes with Obama, it reflect how nincompoop we are, not how effective the money was spent. Of course the resident odd ball here will not understand.
#13 by monsterball on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - 11:14 pm
The never ending Lim kum lan bragging …wit no substances …and any child can understand…he thinks his message is so difficult to understand…when there is nothing important to understand that at all.
This lumpah kia with a put that he loves to suck himself…come out with the right nick for himself.
Yes..Lim loves to kam put.
That what he is…kum put…when others kam lan….hahahahahahahaha
How unnatural he is. I guess his tool is too small to shaft it in….so “kam put” is best..next to nothing..for an idiot like him…hahahahahhahahaha
Lim Kum Put..what an appropriate name for a sucker….hahahahahahaha
#14 by dawsheng on Thursday, 15 April 2010 - 2:56 am
I am with limkamput!
#15 by kpt99 on Thursday, 15 April 2010 - 7:13 am
Perkasa and Mahatir,what are your stances of Malaysia contract with APCO ?. Where are our own think-tanks as used to be proclaimed, are they not more suitable and qualify to plan effectively for the country ?.Why should we import the western ideology which might contradict to our culture ?.
#16 by limkamput on Thursday, 15 April 2010 - 7:47 am
Fellow bloggers here, be aware of a loose odd ball flying around. This odd ball, also known as withered or dried ball, is too old and frustrated already.
#17 by k1980 on Thursday, 15 April 2010 - 9:13 am
The RM76.8 million (US$24.2 million) paid to APCO Worldwide will be spent to upgrade the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), thanks to the Malay Jew Jibby
#18 by frankyapp on Thursday, 15 April 2010 - 11:01 am
Funny thing they accused the Israeli and unbeliever of Islam as infidel but they generously gave RM76.8 million to APCO(an Israeli linked company) to help them to promote 1malaysia. Are they not both hypocrite and infidel ? Again funny thing,the so-called religious defenders such as Perkasa aka Ibrahim Ali can remain pretty silence.
#19 by monsterball on Thursday, 15 April 2010 - 4:23 pm
“Lim Kam Put”.. said it all.
For those who cannot understand ….it means “Lim Sucks Asses”
He gave himself that nick and admitted he is the biggest scumbag in this blog.
So you beware of an MCA active member…twisting and turning…playing agree to disagree…and strike when he thinks the time is right.
Fortunately…MCA is nobody.right now.
If in good standings…watch out Lim Suck Asses fella. He will pick few to battle like before…trying hard to win votes for BN.
Right now..his ass is being grilled with a hot iron.
Limkamput…..me odd and dried up ball???….hahahahahahahaha
#20 by monsterball on Thursday, 15 April 2010 - 4:30 pm
Too old? Going to die soon?
Are you nuts?
My present soul mate is 32 years old.
Do you have voom power like me?
Surely not…as your nick…”Lim Sucks Asses”…revealed what kind of a man you are.
Want more…scumbag ceebai kia?
If you plan to support Zaid Ibrahim …all is forgiven.
Will you support PR to win at Hulu Selangor?
And why so…if so.
#21 by chengho on Friday, 16 April 2010 - 10:26 am
monsterball,
what is your secret oldman to stay in Power ? we have to support Kamal ..