Rafizi: Why lease private jet when gov’t has three aircraft?

PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli has questioned the need for the government to charter another private jet when it already has three existing aircraft.

His question comes after his exposé made last week that prime minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor had used an Airbus (ACJ 319 A6-CJE) - a private jet owned by Emirates Airline - for a trip to Istanbul.

Based on his estimation, Rafizi said RM86.4 million was spent to charter the jet for two months.

Therefore, the Pandan lawmaker said the government’s existing jets should have been used instead for the trip.

The government currently has the ACJ319 9M-NAA which was bought a few years ago, and ACJ320 9M-NAB which was bought last year and is currently under maintenance.

In his press conference today, Rafizi reminded how the government had explained that ACJ320 9M-NAB was bought to replace BBJ737-700 M53-01.

But citing BBJ 737-700’s recent flight records, Rafizi said the jet was still actively used by the government.

The jet, however, was not in use between May 17 and 30. Jet ACJ319 9M-NAA, on the other hand, was used from May 24 to 29 for domestic flights.

Rafizi argued that BBJ 737-700 should have therefore been used instead.

“This would enable jet ACJ319 9M-NAA, which is newer and is usually used for international flights for the prime minister, be used during Rosmah's trip from May 25 to 27.

“If this was done, millions of the rakyat’s money would not have been wasted to lease a luxurious jet like the ACJ319 A6-CJE,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rafizi also questioned the reasons why BBJ 737-700 is still used by the government.
Since an advertisement in August 2015 that it was up for bidding, there has been no confirmation whether the jet had indeed been sold or otherwise, said Rafizi.
“Therefore, I urge Najib, as minister responsible in managing all of the government’s jets, to explain why BBJ737-700 has yet to be sold and why it is still being used, as this involves the rakyat’s money,” he said.

Rafizi last week revealed that Rosmah had used a private jet for a trip to Istanbul, Turkey, and that based on estimations, the jet - which was chartered for two months - had cost RM86.4 million.

Apart from the press conferences held last week and today, a special ceramah session is set to be held tonight. Rafizi said more details will be revealed in relation to the issue.