[UPDATED] Saifuddin guarantees slash of Jasa’s RM85.5 mil allocation

KUALA LUMPUR – Following public backlash, the government has agreed to reduce the RM85.5 million allocation for the Special Affairs Department (Jasa), Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah told the Dewan Rakyat.

He said the unit, which will be rebranded the Community Communications Department (JKOM), will not act as a propaganda machine, amid concerns raised by various quarters. 

“Not under my charge. This is a new programme, it’s not a propaganda arm,” he said in his Budget 2021 winding-up speech in the Dewan Rakyat today. 

According to Saifuddin, the allocation that will be slashed is currently under discussion and will be determined soon. 

“But I can guarantee that the allocation will be reduced. However, I can’t give the numbers yet.” 

Saifuddin said this is possible as JKOM will only be set up in the 160 districts nationwide, as opposed to Jasa, which operated in all 222 parliamentary and 576 state constituencies. 

The minister also rubbished claims that the RM85.5 million allocation for Jasa, which was disbanded when Pakatan Harapan came to power in May 2018, was considerably higher compared with the Barisan Nasional (BN) era. 

He said during the BN administration, a huge part of the allocation was placed in the ministry’s contract staff emolument activity code. 

“The direct allocation for Jasa from 2015 to 2018 was RM23.7 million, RM26.6 million, RM31.5 million and RM27.9 million, respectively, while the allocation under the emolument code was RM54.9 million, RM54.2 million, RM53.9 million and RM45.9 million. 

“If we add those two, then the total allocation from 2015 to 2018 is actually RM78.5 million, RM81 million, RM85.3 million and RM74 million. 

“In this context, the RM85.5 million Jasa allocation for 2021 is not extraordinary,” he said. 

On JKOM's new objective, Saifuddin said the department will be communicating two-way with the people to deliver accurate government information. 

“Its main priority now concerns the communication of information pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic. There are a lot of human stories on the pandemic that were not told.” 

Saifuddin denied claims by several MPs that JKOM’s new role will overlap and clash with existing agencies, such as Radio Televisyen Malaysia, Bernama and the Information Department.

“There are a lot of weaknesses with these existing agencies. Their main duties are analysing, looking for solutions and implementation. 

“Yet, their analysis and solution findings are very poor,” he said, adding the government needed a department to act as an effective storyteller. – The Vibes, November 25, 2020