‘Cutting ministers’ salaries unwise’

KUALA LUMPUR: Reducing the salary of federal ministers by 10% is “not the best decision”, said Berjaya Corp Bhd founder and executive chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan (pix).

On the other hand, Tan believes there will be less corruption if ministers and other government officials are well paid.

“My opinion is, in fact, they should be given higher salaries so that they can do their work honestly,” he told a news conference yesterday.

Tan added he was keen to help the Council of Eminent Persons resolve the country’s financial problems and would be glad to meet them if invited.

“If Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad invites us, definitely I want to go. All of us have ideas and opinions that we want to express.

“We want Malaysia to be more successful, we want to create more employment in the country.”

He believes Malaysia’s reputation and economy can bounce back with the change in government, especially if press freedom is maintained.

Tan also offered to build a new airport on Pulau Tioman at no cost to the federal government, adding it was his way of helping the Pakatan Harapan administration, which has said the country is saddled with a massive RM1 trillion debt.

“We are looking for an infrastructure project and will propose to the government. We want to finance the project ourselves with loans from banks. We won’t burden the government.

“We are looking at the Tioman Airport project.

“We understand the country’s finances are not in the best shape now. We are willing to work with partners, to privatise and finance it.”