He said the PR firm was tasked with delivering a “ministerial communications programme” over seven months from last January but the ministry’s staff was unsure what was meant by that except that one of the responsibilities was to help the former minister write his column.

“The last transport minister had a weekly column in The Star.

“I have ordered the ministry to cancel the allocated money under the ministry’s budget and the contract with Pemandu Associates Sdn Bhd.

“I was told that no payment has been made, and there has been no claim from the company, but we do not wish to engage its services anymore.

“I am not sure if the payment is supposed to be made based on the services rendered or by column,” he said, adding that the money could be spent on more important matters.

On Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s announcement that he was considering a new national car project, Loke said the government was still committed to improving public transportation.

He said he would look at improving bus and taxi services to ensure better connectivity.

However, he declined to comment on the national car project and urged reporters to wait for Mahathir to return from his trip to Japan.

Yesterday, Mahathir said he planned to start another national car project, after Proton’s takeover by a Chinese company last year.

He told participants at the annual Nikkei conference in Tokyo that he had started Proton in the hopes that the company would remain under local ownership.