“Wasting money”: Netizens, MPs slam RM30 mil bill for Seri Perdana’s renovation

LIVID over reports that RM30 mil was used to renovate the prime minister’s official residence, Seri Perdana, the public and Opposition lawmakers took to Twitter to vent out.

“UNNECESSARY! BAZIR DUIT! Kenapa kerajaan suka bazir duit untuk pejabat dan kediaman rasmi ni? Sampai RM30 JUTA?!!”

Orang tengah susah, lapar & sakit! Beribu perniagaan kena tutup, orang bankrap, student tak boleh bayar yuran uni. Help them lah!” said Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

(Unnecessary! Wasting money! Why does the Government like to waste money for office and official residence? RM30 mil. The people are struggling due to a health crisis and some even lack food. Thousands of businesses went bust, people went bankrupt and students can’t repay their loans. Help them lah!)

Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng joined the chorus adding, “Ewah ewah. Senang saja 30juta diberikan utk selenggara Seri Perdana. Kalau di Kepong, sekolah perlu tunggu bertahun-tahun utk diluluskan bajet selenggara bangunan. Murid2 sampai perlu gunakan dewan sebagai kelas. Apa ni mat?”

(Wow! So easily RM30 mil was dished out for Seri Perdana’s maintenance. In Kepong, schools have to wait for years to get budget for maintenance works until students had to use its halls as classrooms. What is this?)

Earlier today, The Vibes reported the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) justifying the figure saying it was needed to ensure safety and maintain the country’s image during visits by dignitaries.

In a parliamentary reply to Pokok Sena MP Datuk Mahfuz Omar, PMO said the maintenance works include electrical wiring and mechanical work, as well as work on the air-conditioning systems and structural modifications to the official residential block.

“The progress of the work stands at 60%, as of Aug 31,” PMO added.

Foreign VIPs don’t care

However, netizens were unimpressed with the reasoning and the amount spent.

“Setuju. Not now. Image kediaman nak lagi cantik is secondary. Ekonomi mantap, peluang kerja banyak, C19 dibendung, Rakyat dibela baru image naik,” said user Norhisham Ahmad.

(I agree. Not now. The image of the Government’s official residence is secondary. Only when the economy is booming with plenty of employment opportunities around to help the people, naturally our image will improve)

Netizen Lan replied: “So, priority is to impress foreign VIPs huh? I’m sure geng2 VIP foreign pun x kisah. Negara diorang pun struggle covid.”

(I’m sure foreign VIP don’t care about it as even their countries are ravaged by COVID-19)

User Amni then posted a montage, showing a report in Aug on civil servants contributing RM30 mil to help in COVID-19 while the PMO spends the same amount for Seri Perdana’s renovation.

“How stupid! I don’t approve,” he retorted. – Sept 28, 2021.

Pic credit: Flickr

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