Jasa Needs Rm85 5 Mil Allocation To Hire More Staff Says Ministry

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A Jasa event in Kuala Lumpur held in April 2018. Jasa was dissolved after the Pakatan Harapan took power in May 2018. (Facebook pic)PETALING JAYA: The communications and multimedia ministry has clarified that the RM85.5 million allocation for its Special Affairs Department (Jasa) was to hire more staff members and develop its digital infrastructure throughout the country.
In a statement today, the ministry said the funds would go towards recruiting and training qualified officers in social and digital media communication to “educate and cultivate new norms in the community”.
It also said the money would be spent on building digital infrastructure to “disseminate information in various forms”, as well as operational costs to mobilise staff, especially in rural areas.
The ministry’s statement comes after several parties had questioned the huge allocation for the department at a time when the country is in the middle of a Covid-19 crisis and economic problems.
The department had in the past been criticised as being the propaganda arm of Umno as well as being misused for indoctrinating civil servants on Ketuanan Melayu (Malay superiority).
Jasa was abolished by the government of Dr Mahathir Mohamad after Pakatan Harapan (PH) came to power in 2018.
“The ministry assures all parties that the re-establishment of Jasa, made up of a team that is not politically motivated, is aimed at strengthening the multiracial community.
“Jasa will be responsible for conducting engagement sessions with civil society and local community leaders to obtain constructive inputs for national building.”
In July, Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin had stated that Jasa would be revived to help the staff terminated by the PH administration.
He said Jasa would hire 500 out of its former 1,000 staff. - FMT

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