Wednesday June 11, 2008
Ministers to go easy when on vacation
By MAZWIN NIK ANIS
PUTRAJAYA: A minister can claim up to RM400 as expenses from the Government for each day of his paid vacation abroad.
A former deputy minister said though Cabinet members were entitled to 30 days of leave, there was an understanding that they should not spend the whole stretch overseas.
“The offer from the Government for a free plane ticket is only given out to ministers and deputy ministers once a year,” he said in an interview yesterday.
He was commenting on a decision announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that paid vacations for ministers and deputy ministers would now be limited to local and Asean destinations as a cost-cutting measure.
The measure was among several aimed at saving the Government RM2bil.
The former deputy minister said the expenses covered food, lodging and transport, and any payment in excess of the maximum RM400 amount would have to be borne by the minister.
As for official trips, he said, the claims were fully paid which included accommodation, food and transport.
While holidaying abroad, the Cabinet members and their spouses were entitled to business class seats while their children, aged below 21, would have to travel on economy seats.
A senior private secretary to a minister said there was no restriction to the destination where his boss could go for his holidays.
He said ministers usually have to fork out additional money as the travel claims were inadequate to cover their travel expenses.
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