By Teo Nie Ching

One of the questions I submitted to Parliament for the previous sitting, was to demand our Prime Minister to state the expenses of the Prime Minister’s Department on advertisement and publicity materials for the year 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.

In a very short and simple reply dated July 10, 2013, Dato’ Seri Dr Shahidan bin Kassim in his capacity as Minister in PM’s Department did not provide the expenses of the PM’s Department on advertisement and publicity materials from 2008 to 2013 yearly, but only stated that since 2008 till 2013, the expenses of 13 departments / agencies in the PM’s Department on advertisement and publicity materials wasRM8,342,057.75 while Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputra (TERAJU) have spent RM82,402,800 and RM12,146,255 on advertisement and publicity materials.

In short, the expense of the PM’s Department on advertisement and publicity materials since 2008 till 2013 totaled RM102,892,112.75.

However, the Malay Mail Online reported on August 16, 2013 according to international media-buying agency Vizeum Media the Prime Minister’s Department took up the lion’s share of Putrajaya’s advertising expenditure by spending RM264 million for the first six months of the year, five times more than it did in 2012.

There is a huge discrepancy over the expenses on advertisements of PM’s Department. If in the first half of 2013, the PM’s Department has spent RM264 million on advertisement, it is impossible that the total expenses on advertisement of PM’s Department from 2008 till 2013 was only RM102 million. Was Dato’ Seri Dr Shahidan bin Kassim giving an inaccurate figure in his parliamentary reply with the intention to mislead the Parliament and general public?

Vizeum Media is not the only organization spotted the extravagant spending of PM’s Department on advertisement for the purpose of general election. Earlier this year, a research of AC Nielsen pointed out that the PM’s Department has spent RM170 million on advertisement in the first quarter of 2013, which making the the July report of Vizeum Media even more convincing.

I call for Dato’ Seri Dr Shahidan bin Kassim to clarify the discrepancy immediately. Failing which, I will not hesitate to cite him for misleading the House and refer him to the Committee of Privileges once the Parliament resumes sitting on September 23, 2013, as provided under Order 36(12) of the Standing Order.

At the same time, MACC should also investigate on Putrajaya’s advertising campaign ahead of 13^th General Election as it was a “clear abuse” of public funds.