Minister should have turned down sponsored flight, say activists

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PETALING JAYA: Religious affairs minister Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri should have turned down the offer of a sponsored flight from Riyadh to Medina, say two anti-corruption activists.

Ramon Navaratnam, a former president of Transparency International-Malaysia said there was an “implied obligation” when accepting gifts at another’s expense. He said the minister should have politely declined the offer by the World Muslim League.

Cynthia Gabriel, executive director of the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism said the sponsored flight could have been a form of bribery if there was a quid pro quo situation, with the sponsor expecting something in return.

Zulkifli had come under criticism last week after a video clip was circulated showing him in a first-class cabin. His office said the clip had been taken on a flight from Riyadh to Medina, sponsored by the Muslim World League, a non-governmental organisation funded by the Saudi government.


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