Left pocket right pocket?

What is the difference? Isn't the RM200m taxpayers' money?

PMB is owned by Khazanah and Khazanah is our government's investment arm.

PM: I did not buy a private jet
30 January 2007
Malaysiakini

First it was supposedly a US$8 million luxury yacht called the ‘Cobra Sultan’. Now apparently Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has purchased an executive jet worth millions. However, the premier has denied this.

According to him, the government had only leased the aircraft from Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd and it was not for his personal use only. "The jet is for use of the government, not the prime minister (only)," Abdullah was quoted as saying by Bernama. The premier was speaking at a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport upon his return from London after having attended the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. Elaborating, Abdullah said: "The aircraft belongs to Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd; it was (bought with) their money. We just leased it like how MAS (Malaysia Airlines) leases aircraft from them." Several websites had reported that Abdullah had bought an ACJ 319 VIP jet from Airbus at a cost of between US$55 million and US$60 million. The websites claimed, among other things, that the aircraft based on the A320 model was undergoing internal refurbishing in Switzerland. Explaining the rationale for leasing the aircraft, Abdullah said leasing enabled the government to save cost.

"Why do we (the government) have to buy aircraft? If we buy, we have to undertake repairs and expend on many other things. "If is preferable to lease, and when there are repairs to be made, the lessor has to provide a replacement aircraft for our use," he said. Abdullah pointed out that Penerbangan Malaysia stood to gain from the lease, just as it earned from the lease of aircraft to MAS.

'Spreading lies'

Recently, the premier accused Malaysians of using the Internet to spread lies about him. Abdullah said Malaysians were using the freedom and anonymity of the Internet and mobile text messages to make "unfounded allegations." "This sort of freedom had made them resort to such action. Even bloggers or those who maintain websites use this opportunity to create stories. Lies after lies are being told. To them, everything is not right, everything is not good," he added. Abdullah said his detractors were trying to undermine his leadership but added that most Malaysians were still behind him. "I know there are people who are trying their best to ridicule me.

They make a mountain out of a molehill. They just want to rubbish me,” he added.

The premier said this in the wake of a controversial defamation suit against two bloggers by the New Straits Times Press, for which Abdullah has voiced support despite heavy criticism of the action.