Ong revealed that while GTF 2015 was organised by a company which was owned by the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), the latest edition was organised by a private entity.
“GTF 2015 was organised by BFR Institute, a company which is 100% owned by Pemandu Corp, which is a company limited by guarantee under the control of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated.
“However, GTF 2017 was organised by Pemandu Associates Sdn Bhd which is a private company that is co-owned by its CEO and president Idris Jala,” he said in a statement.
Ong, who is also Serdang MP, added it did not make sense for the government to set aside RM15 million that would end up in the pockets of a private company co-owned by Idris, when two years ago, the government still had control of the organiser directly under the finance ministry.
He also took issue with Pemandu Associates likely using this event, subsidised with taxpayers money, to promote its consultancy services to the government, Government Linked Companies (GLCs) and other companies.
“Pemandu Associates was set up on Dec 16 last year as part of the transition for Pemandu to hand over its responsibilities back to the civil service.
“According to Pemandu’s website, ‘all staff in Pemandu and BFR Institute will move to Pemandu Associates Sdn Bhd, a private consultancy firm newly-established by Pemandu management and staff’,” Ong said.
Last week, the DAP national election strategist took the government to task for its use of RM15 million for the private event which already had many large corporations as its sponsors, including TNB, MMC-Gamuda, KL Kepong, YTL and Hong Leong Bank.
“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.
Ong also compared the pricing between GTF 2015 and GTF 2017 in terms of ticket prices, which showed a significant difference.
“The first forum was held in 2015 and the headliners to this forum included Arnold ‘the Terminator’ Schwarzenegger and former Olympians Carl Lewis and Sebastian Coe.
“Fast forward to 2017 and this year’s headliners include businessman and philanthropist Richard Branson and 8-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt.
“For GTF 2015, ticket prices started at RM427 for a university student and went up to a maximum of RM1424 for a regular delegate.
“For GTF 2017, ticket prices were jacked up to a starting price of RM4,000 and went up to a maximum of RM10,000,” he wrote explaining how ticket sales could only be afforded by the affluent, hence his dissatisfaction over the government subsidising part of the costs.
“It makes even less sense that the government subsidy increased by 50% from RM10 million in 2015 to RM15 million in 2017 when ticket prices in 2017 have been raised significantly and there are no discounts for students and the less affluent.
DAP: Najib must explain RM15 million for event targeting affluent