By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 17, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — The DAP’s Anthony Loke today accused Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen of not answering why six Facebook pages cost RM1.8 million.
“This is unsatisfactory. She has not yet explained what exactly is integrated social media campaigning…what is the scope of social media? Facebook and Twitter? If it’s not a website, what is the money for? Advertisements? Where?” the DAP socialist youth chief (Dapsy) told The Malaysian Insider.
The Tourism Minister said yesterday she did not contradict a detailed account of the costs, and that the sum of money was for an “integrated social media campaign.”
Ng said that so far RM250,000 had been spent on the campaign, and that 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.
Her deputy, James Dawos Mamit, had told Parliament that each Facebook page had cost RM293,072. He 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.
Ng has not pointed out which part of her deputy’s speech which stated that the RM1.8 million was not used for the ministry’s Facebook page, despite repeated questioning by reporters yesterday.
“She has not answered questions…when asked about technical details, she cannot answer reporters…all we want to know is exactly where the money is going, and if we don’t understand, make us understand,” Loke added.
The Rasah MP also accused Ng of defending a company which had been awarded the contract to develop the Facebook pages.
Impact Creations Sdn Bhd had been hired by the ministry on a three-year contract from 2011-2013, and the scope of its operations included hosting various activities on the Facebook page(s), six interactive Flash applications, development and maintenance work as well as advertising.
“Why is Ng Yen Yen bent on defending a crony company, the sole company which awarded to carry out this so-called campaign? Is that why she is insisting on defending the exorbitant figures?” asked Loke.
Ng will be meeting the Cabinet today to provide details on the RM1.8 million expenditure.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has said that if the tourism minister’s explanation was not satisfactory, the government might investigate the matter.
#1 by sheriff singh on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 12:58 pm
Just ask Yen Yen to produce the details of the contract. It should clarify things.
But I suppose the document is classified under the OSA.
#2 by sheriff singh on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 12:59 pm
Moderated yet again.
#3 by Godfather on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 1:57 pm
Sheriff, you have been moderated because you have been cursing and swearing at the Tourism Minister….tsk, tsk, tsk….you should do it silently lah, like most of us do….
#4 by rockdaboat on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 2:02 pm
Why not show the contents of the contract to the rakyat by making it public and let us judge for ourselves? OSA? My foot!
#5 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 2:18 pm
Yen Yen, u r going to be axed from d cabinet by none other than your beloved Deputy PM.
See what hot soup yr stupid follies can get u into.
Now the next thing I am sure will happen is that yr name will not make it to the election list of candidates. Just too bad. Time for you to re-apply for yr Australian PR now.
#6 by k1980 on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 2:20 pm
//Sheriff, you have been moderated because you have been cursing and swearing at the Tourism Minister//
Looks like our resident Punjabi is infatuated by that no-good China doll, who looks like Bad Awee’s 2nd wife.
#7 by sheriff singh on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 2:57 pm
Just ask Yen Yen to produce the details of the contract. It should clarify things.
#8 by sheriff singh on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 3:00 pm
But I suppose the document is secret?
#9 by sheriff singh on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 3:03 pm
The offending words are ‘clas_ified’ and ‘OS_’
The DAP wants us to use soft, soft words.
#10 by boh-liao on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 6:35 pm
Curi curi M’sia is such a deep rooted culture in UmnoB/BN governed M’sia dat d ruling class JUST curi blatantly, without shame n apology
JUST DO IT n give d most ridiculous n illogical reason is OK 1 (just like d Emperor’s New Clothes)
#11 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Friday, 17 June 2011 - 6:58 pm
Yen2: Sorry the Cabinet is fed-up with u for a weak explanation (reports malaysian insider)..
Malaysian public is fed up with you.
MCA is fed up with u.
BN is fed-up with u.
Since so many think u r irresponsible, maybe even unethical, why…why don’t u go main jauh-jauh…maybe, australia.
#12 by balance88 on Saturday, 18 June 2011 - 10:16 am
Mr Anthony Loke, allow me to explain to you what “integrated social media campaigning” is. You see, sophisticated complex lingo requires a sophisticated complex answer.
Here goes – it means – an integrated, sustained and effective complex sophisticated web of deceit and cash chanelling, rivalling a David Copperfield act, to promote Malaysia!
In simple laymen term, it means, “Corruption”
There, Mr Loke, I hope I was able to help you out on that.
#13 by ktteokt on Monday, 20 June 2011 - 11:16 pm
Just wtf is “integrated social media campaigning”? Does NYY care to put it in simple terms for the rakyat to understand?
Don’t be surprise that finally, NYY will say “integrated social media campaigning” simply means “your pockets get emptied by us because we are holding the strings to the purse!”