KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — Former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should disclose if public funds were used for his delegation’s visit to Paris, France last year that cost an estimated RM115,000, DAP’s Ong Kian Ming said today.

The Serdang MP said the disclosure was necessary after the former prime minister reportedly conceded that he had “some help” in paying for the visit by the Lanskap Malaysia NGO that also included two individuals listed as “personal friends” of Abdullah.

Ong said that there would be no issue if taxpayers’ monies were used to finance the visit if it had been for Abdullah to represent Malaysia, but this and the purpose of any such visit should be declared for public knowledge.

The RM115,000 figure is based on estimates Ong derived using publicly quoted prices for the types of accommodation and transportation used by the delegation of nine people, but not including flight tickets.

“At a time when many Malaysians have to cut down on their everyday expenses because of rises in the cost of living, the Malaysian taxpayer should not be funding expensive trips or holidays abroad for politicians in ways which do not seem to benefit Malaysia in any direct or indirect way,” Ong said in a statement today.

The former prime minister commonly known as “Pak Lah” today told news portal Malaysiakini that the trip was paid for by his Lanskap Malaysia non-governmental group, but with “some help”.

The delegation was in France for the Paris Climate Change Conference last year.