KUALA LUMPUR: In an interesting twist, Batu PKR parliamentarian Tian Chua said the Umno-Barisan Nasional government had paid international consultancy Apco Worldwide almost RM80 million and not RM28 million as stated by Minister in Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Aziz.
He said a written reply from the Prime Minister’s Department had indicated that total disbursements made to Apco was USD24 million.
“This contradicts with Minister Nazri (Aziz)’s comment in the MalaysianInsider report where he states that fee paid to Apco was RM28 million.
“If not for this written reply from the PM’s department we would never have known the figure,” Tian Chua said.
He described the RM80 million disbursement as too big an expense for Malaysia.
“How did they evaluate Apco Worldwide’s services. They paid them almost one billion ringgit.. or maybe they paid them more ..” Tian Chua said.
Apco Worldwide, has been in the spotlight, since Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim made an explosive disclosure in Parliament last month linking the consultancy to several known former Israeli leaders and its secret service.
Anwar had also alleged that the 1Malaysia concept mirrored the One Israel campaign held in the 1990s.
Apco had twice denied having worked with Israel.
However a Singapore Straits Times report earlier this month traced a document in the US Justice Department which confirmed Apco’s involvement in an Israeli housing project, which was funded by the US government.
Speaking to the media in the Parliament lobby yesterday Tian Chua said, the written response from the PM’s Department made no mention of 1Malaysia.
“We noticed there were two services that they were paid for. One was for public affairs and public government affairs and the second was strategic communication, public relations and press outreach, “ he said.
Tian Chua urged Umno-BN to cancel their wasteful contract with Apco and appoint a local consultant.
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