Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad speaks during the winding up session of Supply Bill 2022 at the policy level in the Dewan Rakyat November 15, 2021. — Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — The government’s special envoys each received RM27,227 monthly since April 2020 and were assigned offices, chauffeured cars, and mobile phones for their duties, according to a written parliamentary reply.
In the reply to Johor Bahru MP Akmal Nasir, however, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Abd Latiff Ahmad noted that all three have not gone on a single official trip since their appointments.
The government has three special envoys each tasked to cover a specific key region.
They are the special envoy to the Middle East, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang; special envoy to China, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing; and Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem as special envoy to East Asia.
Abd Latiff did not state the costs to provide each special envoy with mobile phones, cars, drivers, and offices.
All three were previously appointed under then-prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and were deemed to have resigned when he stepped down last August.
The special envoys enjoy the same rank as federal ministers.
Hadi and Tiong are the presidents of PAS and PDP, respectively, while Riot is the deputy president of SUPP.
Their reappointment follows the formation of a new government and swearing-in of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Malaysia’s 9th prime minister.