KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Government-linked companies spent about RM96 million to buy advertisement space in local newspapers of various languages this year, said Datuk Seri Najib Razak. 

The prime minister said the biggest amount of RM49 million was spent on English language newspapers, followed by RM24 million on Chinese language newspapers, RM22 million on Malay language newspapers and RM238,000 on Tamil language newspapers.

The GLC advertisements were carried in the major newspapers, among them The Star and New Straits Times (English language); China Press and Guang Ming (Chinese); Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian (Malay) and Tamil Nesan and Makkal Osai (Tamil), said Najib, who is also the finance minister, in a written reply to a question from Senator Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam in the Dewan Negara.

Najib said that last year, GLCs spent about RM164 million to buy advertisement space in newspapers of the four languages, with RM89 million of it in the English newspapers; RM39 million, Malay; RM35 million, Chinese and RM229,000, Tamil. 

He said that among the 17 GLCs which bought advertisement space in the local newspapers were Axiata Group Berhad, Sime Darby Berhad, Malayan Banking Berhad, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Tenaga Nasional Berhad. — Bernama