In a parliamentary written reply to Teo Kok Seong (DAP-Rasah), Salleh said the books were printed in three languages Malay, Chinese and Tamil. He also said 125,000 books were printed to explain issues pertaining to 1MDB and 2,000 books were printed with regard to the Red Shirts rally.
“These books were published to give explanations on both issues. Both issues were politicised to the extent that it affected the country’s security and peace.
“The book ‘1MDB: Who says it’s not answered’ cost RM4.85 per book and the total cost was RM606,250.
“Meanwhile, the Red Shirts rally” book cost RM6 each and the total cost was RM12,000,” he said.
Teo, in his question, had asked Salleh to state the total costs incurred for the 1MDB and Red Shirts Rally books printed and distributed by the Department of Special Affairs (Jasa).
On September 16, 2015, the “Malay Dignity Red Shirts Rally” was held in protest against the Bersih 4.0 rally whose participants were accused of having insulted the Malays during their August rally by calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak and for stepping on his picture.
Pressure on Najib has grown since the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) ran an exposé claiming that RM2.6 billion of 1MDB funds had been channelled to his private bank accounts.
Najib has denied any wrongdoing or of taking the money for personal gain. The prime minister was also cleared by the Attorney-General of any criminal offence early this year.