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Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Should Set Guidelines For “Official” Overseas Trips And Direct All States To Submit Such Trips For Prior Approval To Stop The Proliferation Of Junket Trips That Waste Public Funds Press Statement by Lim Guan Eng (Petaling Jaya, Monday): The Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is correct to disapprove of official government trips with leisure or entertainment activities, such as belly dancing, in their itinerary and that it would be better if those officials do not go abroad, as there are better things to do at home. What is surprising is that the Prime Minister appears not to know about these two holiday trips and arrangements.   If the Prime Minister disapproves of such arrangements then he should punish those responsible to deter such trips that waste public funds from happening again. I shall be going to the Prime Minister’s office on Monday morning to furnish him the details of itinerary to let him know what the state governments of Selangor and Melaka has been doing behind his back.  DAP urges Prime Minister to set guidelines for official overseas trips and direct all states to submit such trips for prior approval to stop the proliferation of junket trips that waste public funds. For far too long, BN state governments have been allowed to turn their official overseas trips into junket trips that provides a full holiday at public expense.  The expose of such junket trips was made by DAP leaders, starting with the RM 1 million around the world trip by the Melaka State Government from 4-19 January 2005. Amongst the 23 member official delegation of this ‘working visit” were the Governor, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam and their wives as well as the 3 children of the Chief Minister. Out of the 15 day trips, only 3 days was taken up by some official appointments with the rest devoted to sight-seeing and shopping.   According to a copy of their itinerary, the 23 delegates will visit Hawaii, San Antonio, Houston, New Orleans and Miami before transiting in London and Dubai to return to Malaysia. Throughout the ‘working visit’, the delegation only has one confirmed official function with the Lt Governor of the Hawaii state, James R Alona Jr. Other scheduled ‘official visits’ are to Pearl Harbour, the San Antonio riverwalk, the French Quarters, Millionaires Row in New Orleans, Everglades National Park in Miami and the Houston Medical Centre. The delegation will also visit other tourism spots such as the Waikiki beach, Hanauma Bay Lookout and Hawaii’s famous landmark, the Diamond Head.   The next scandal was the belly-dancing “educational trip” to Egypt by the Selangor Public Accounts Committee(PAC) costing the public almost RM 100,000/-. DAP State Assemblyman for Sekinchan Ng Suee Lin withdrew from the trip to protest against the waste of public funds for what it obviously not an educational trip. No one can see how the Egyptian trip can be educational with belly-dancing and as the headline in the Malay Mail screamed, “2 hours of business 7 nights of pleasure”.   Even though the itinerary was subsequently changed following public pressure to exclude belly dancing, official business in the revised itinerary is only two and half days, while sight-seeing is five-and-half days. The sight-seeing included visiting the Nile River, the pyramids, Sphinx, Suez canal, Moses’ hot springs, an arts institute, museums, temples, a sound and light show, Pompeii’s Pillar as well as a few shopping excursions.  The Prime Minister is correct to disapprove of such holiday trips with leisure or entertainment activities, such as belly dancing, in their itinerary and that it would be better if those officials do not go abroad, as there are better things to do at home. What is surprising is that the Prime Minister appears not to know about these two holiday trips and arrangements.   If the Prime Minister disapproves of such arrangements then he should punish those responsible to deter such trips that waste public funds from happening again. I shall be going to the Prime Minister’s office on Monday morning to furnish him the details of itinerary to let him know what the state governments of Selangor and Melaka has been doing behind his back.  The time has come to stop such junkets that bring no benefit and damages the reputation and image of the government as those misusing public funds for a private holiday. A set of guidelines for such overseas trips must be set that ensures official business is strictly official business and so long as the trip is at the taxpayers’ expense, one can not mix business with pleasure. (30/1/2005) * Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General