KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo has urged the government to find ways to strengthen the Information Department that is parked under the Multimedia and Communications Ministry.
The DAP MP cited national broadcast station, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), as an example, saying its staff have not received their salaries on time recently.
Gobind was the multimedia and communications minister in the previous Pakatan Harapan government.
“I want to ask about the problems faced by piecemeal workers in RTM. We can see them facing delays in salary due to so-called ‘no funds’.
“But here, we see how a huge amount of RM85.5 million is channelled into reviving Jasa (Special Affairs Department).
“So what are our efforts to encourage existing staff in the ministry in order for them to do their jobs efficiently in conveying information to the nation especially during the Covid-19 pandemic period?” he said during his debate on the Budget 2021 Bill.
Gobind also defended the Komuniti Harapan Malaysia (KHM) programme introduced while he was minister, rejecting comparisons to Jasa as he said the former was run by unpaid volunteers.
He also said that of the RM100 million allocation for KHM, RM80.5 million had been for community programme grants.
“So it is not the same. There is no need to draw comparisons between the two (Jasa and KHM),” he said.
When tabling Budget 2021, the government announced that the Barisan Nasional-era propaganda unit, which was dismantled by the Pakatan Harapan administration, would be revived and allocated RM85.5 million.
