Anwar questions RM2bil for foreign consultants to draw up 12MP

[superadmin]

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim claims more than RM2 billion was spent by the government on foreign consultants to help prepare the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) document, which was tabled by the government yesterday in the Dewan Rakyat.

He said the allocation should have instead been given to experts inside the country to conduct the necessary studies, particularly those related to poverty, in preparing the document.

The Port Dickson MP believes the expertise needed to manage the country’s economy could be found among locals who better understand the country’s situation.

“I am confident that studies and planning in the country can be handled by local experts because they understand the problems (we face) better. They can understand the problems of poverty and inequality in this country, not foreign consultants,” he said when debating the 12MP in the Dewan Rakyat today..

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[superadmin]

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — The government did not pay RM2 billion to consultants to compile the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said, in rebutting Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar had claimed in Parliament earlier today that he was told RM1.8 billion was spent on foreign consultants five years ago, and that over RM2 billion was paid out for such expertise for the 12MP, lamenting that perhaps only part of the findings compiled by them could be used.

During his speech on the 12MP, he said that the allocation should be rightfully channelled to local experts to carry out their research for the 12MP, including those on poverty, as they are the ones who understand local issues best.

However, in his statement, Mustapa said that the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) had never spent RM2 billion as claimed by the Port Dickson MP, and that only a “very small cost” was involved.


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