KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 ― Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia (YPNM) sought today to debunk what it says were numerous false myths about its Patriot number plate initiative, including among others, claims that the project involves public funds.

The self-proclaimed pro-patriotism group said the project to auction the Patriot car plates is its own private initiative, and that the estimated RM10 million that it hopes to generate from sales will be used to fund events to promote patriotism among Malaysians of all races and backgrounds.

YPNM also repeated previous claims that they paid the Road Transport Department (RTD) a lump sum of RM1 million for the right to auction the plates, while a further RM1 million has been spent on overhead costs for the number plates so far.

“The Patriot plate project is entirely the initiative of YPNM, RTD has not once planned to issue the Patriot plate series.

“YPNM does not rely on any allocation from any government agency, or on public funds,” the group said in a statement.

“Therefore, the allegation that RTD will make a loss from the sale of the plates is not true because the agency still receives the RM1 million payment from us, regardless whether we succeed or fail in selling these plate.

“This means that RTD, the public and the country will make no loss as alleged,” YPNM said.

The group also repeated its previous explanation that had applied for the Patriot number plate auction in 2013 when Umno’s Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was in charge of the Transport Ministry, but only received approval this year after MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai took over the portfolio.

It denied claims that it used its Umno links to win the auction rights or that it used backwater channels to apply directly to Hishammuddin.

It said its chairman Brigadier-Jeneral Datuk Husainay Hashim (rtd) was appointed to the post because of his 33 years of experience in the Royal Malaysian Armed Forces (RMAF).

The idea to form the group, YPNM added, came about after the Lahad Datu incursion.

“He (Husainay) is not an Umno crony,” the group insisted.

Yesterday, Hishammuddin denied knowledge of RTD's approval for YPNM to sell Patriot car registration plates during his tenure as acting Transport Minister.

The senior minister appeared perplexed when asked if he was aware of an application made in 2013 by the group for permission to auction car registration plates bearing the word Patriot.

“I don't know anything about it,” he said at a news conference after chairing an Umno committee meeting here.