RM1.8 million for six Facebook pages

While the deputy tourism minister justifies the exorbitant cost, a DAP MP, however, calls it ridiculous.

KUALA LUMPUR: Close to RM1.8 million has been spent to create six Tourism Malaysia Facebook applications, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Tourism Minister James Dawos Mamit said that each application cost RM293,072 to develop, or RM1,758,432 in full.

He said this in response to questions raised by DAP-Rasah MP Anthony Loke and Umno-Tangga Batu MP Idris Haji Haron, who asked why the ministry spent such a huge amount on its social media campaign.
Mamit identified these applications as:
a) Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia
b) Citrawarna 1Malaysia
c) Karnival Jualan Mega 1Malaysia and Karnival Jualan Akhir Tahun
d) Festival Pelancongan Seni Kontemporari 1Malaysia
e) Kempen 1Malaysia Bersih, 1Malaysia
f) Fabulous Food 1Malaysia

He added that the Citrawarna 1Malaysia Facebook page attracted a total of 20,292 Facebook “likes” since its launch on May 21 this year.

Mamit said that the reason why each application cost so much was because of the tasks associated with them.

“These cover creative works, concepts and ideas, design, flash programming and coding, testing and debugging, uploading and launching of application, system server development and maintenance, development of database from the contest, campaign management and monitoring as well as online advertisements and fan recruitment in Facebook and Google,” the deputy minister said.

‘DAP’s page did not cost a sen’

This reasoning, however, was rubbished by Loke, who called it “ridiculous”.
“These are just Facebook fan pages,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby later.

Showing reporters the Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Facebook page on an Ipad, he added: “Anyone can do this. (…) Everyone knows that Facebook pages are free, and you don’t need servers or designs (for them).”

He also pointed to the Citrawarna 1Malaysia flash application, which was linked to a Facebook game.
FMT later opened the application, and found that it was a flash music rhythm game.

According to the application, players who attained high scores while playing Citrawarna 1Malaysia stood a chance to win an IPad 2.

Calling it a waste of public funds, Loke said DAP created similar Facebook fan pages and flash applications at no cost.

He said the Visit Penang Facebook page, designed by the Penang state government did not cost “a single sen”, and had gotten nearly 120,000 Facebook “likes” in the past two years.