Motion To Cut Rm45m From Rebranded Jasa Budget Passed

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PARLIAMENT | The Dewan Rakyat today passed a motion from the government to slash RM45 million from an initial RM85.5 million allocation for the Communications and Multimedia Ministry to revive the Special Affairs Department (Jasa).
This was followed by the tabling of a motion from the opposition to slash the entire RM85.5 million allocation.
Deputy Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri tabled the government motion prior to debates on the Communications and Multimedia Ministry's overall budget under the Supply Bill 2021.
"A rejection of this motion will see the amount be reverted to the initial sum of RM85.5 million," Abdul Rahim said in his winding-up speech.
He added that the reduced amount of RM40.5 million will be used to fund the ministry's rebranded "Jabatan Komunikasi Komuniti" (J-kom) as previously announced by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz in the initial budget debate.

Government MPs who debated for Abdul Rahim's motion argued that J-kom was needed to ensure the right information can be disseminated to the people, as well as to provide jobs for former Jasa officers terminated during Pakatan Harapan's rule.
Meanwhile, MPs from the opposition bench insisted that the rebranded outfit will be used as a propaganda tool and its intended functions can be carried out by existing agencies, including the Information Department.




Saifuddin Abdullah
Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, in winding up the opposition motion tabled by Wilfred Madius Tangau (Upko-Tuaran), came under fire from his former Harapan colleagues after he took a jab at Hannah Yeoh (Harapan-Segambut).
Saifuddin said J-kom was needed as many agencies under the ministry only existed at federal and state levels, with no "foot soldiers" on the ground.
He added that one of its intended roles would be to assist other agencies outside the ministry. For instance, to reach out to persons with disabilities and deliver information on various available government assistance.
Yeoh stood up to interject and pointed out that both the Welfare Department and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry have communication units that can carry out the same duty.
"I can tell you no repackaging can help bad content," the former women, family and community development deputy minister said. 
"The one who just spoke is a former deputy minister. No wonder the government did not last long," Saifuddin said in response, prompting outcries from the opposition bench.

"She was your cabinet colleague, you should be ashamed!" said Jelutong MP RSN Rayer in a shot at Saifuddin, who was the former foreign minister under the previous Harapan administration.
Saifuddin later started off his speech to wind-up the ministry's overall budget debates by apologising to Yeoh for his remarks.
"Earlier I said something about Segambut MP, but it was not with intentions to belittle her.
"I would like to apologise to Segambut MP because maybe the context of what I had said was inaccurate, so I apologise," he said.

 - Mkini

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