The Serdang MP said his conclusion was based on a written reply he received from the prime minister’s department at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday to his question on how much was the government spending on the Global Transformation Forum (GTF) 2017, currently taking place at the KL Convention Center in Kuala Lumpur.
“GTF 2017 features internationally renowned speakers and celebrities such as Sir Richard Branson, Jack Ma and Usain Bolt, and is targeted at the affluent and large corporations.
“So, why is the government of Malaysia spending RM15 million to subsidise this event when it is organised by a private company?” Ong said in a statement released today.
He added that tickets for the two-day event – which has corporate sponsors such as Tenaga Nasional, Hong Leong Bank, YTL, MMC Gamuda, KL Kepong – were priced at RM4,000, RM6,000 and RM10,000.
“When government funding to our universities and our hospitals are being cut left, right and centre, and government subsidies for essentials such as sugar and cooking oil are being cut, why is the government subsidising an event that will be almost exclusively attended by affluent and well-connected Malaysians?
“Is it so that the prime minister will have more opportunities to take selfies with celebrities?”
Ong defended his argument, saying that there is nothing wrong with the event in itself and the presence of such luminary personalities, just the need for the government to help fund it.
“If this was a purely private affair, organised by the private sector for the private sector, it would be no business of mine as an MP to question the costs of organising such an event.
“But after a similar forum had previously been organised in 2015 at a cost of RM10 million to the taxpayer, I am surprised that this cost has now escalated to RM15 million.”
“This is a slap in the face of Malaysians who are suffering because of increases in the cost of living and cuts in government expenditure,” he said, before taking to task the organisers of the event for asking the government for RM15 million to organise this “forum for the rich, of the rich and by the rich”.