Govt puts end to BN sweetheart deals

PETALING JAYA: The government is doing away with sweetheart deals given by the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.
The previous government used to give perks to several retiring ministers, who were given positions in the administration, ministerial status, an office, diplomatic passport and a salary of about RM20,000 a month.
Retired senior civil servants were appointed to the board of government-linked companies, with loyalty more than merit being the chief consideration, The Malaysian Insight reported today.
Government officials told The Malaysian Insight, however, that these retired civil servants will be issued termination letters soon or their contracts will not be renewed.
The news portal identified several of the recipients.
Among the top officials who were given sweethearts were former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, former MIC president Tun S. Samy Vellu and former adviser to the government Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
It also reported unnamed government officials as saying this move was part of a cost-cutting drive launched by the Pakatan Harapan administration to cut superfluous jobs across the board.
The job cuts will save some RM500,000 a month, it said.