Hasan takes Rafizi to task over remark on PM
KUALA LUMPUR: Pandan member of parliament Rafizi Ramli was taken to task for accusing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak of being a “champion” in spending Petronas’s revenue.
Public Accounts Committee chairman Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin said it was normal for Rafizi to make accusations and evil allegations about Barisan Nasional leaders.
Hasan, who is also Rompin member of parliament, said Rafizi would do so by revealing confusing data to put the government in a bad light.
“I said yesterday it was unfair of Rafizi to compare the amount spent by the prime minister with past prime ministers, such as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, without comparing the price of crude oil then and now.
“I wish to state that during Dr Mahathir’s era, crude oil was priced at US$30 a barrel, which was similar to Abdullah’s time, aside from the crude oil price jump in 2008, with an overall average price of around US$70. “Since Najib became prime minister, average crude oil prices exceeded US$100 per barrel from 2011 to 2014. This resulted in more revenue for Petronas during Najib’s time.”
He said compared with the amount the government spent on subsidies under Najib in 2011, which was more than RM35 billion, the amount spent in the subsequent three years was between RM40 billion and RM45 billion.
“Hence, Rafizi’s accusation that Najib is a champion at spending Petronas’s revenue is unfair and malicious.”