Seri Perdana utility bills hit RM2.3mil last year

Published: Tuesday October 29, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM 

Updated: Tuesday October 29, 2013 MYT 11:37:35 AM

BY MARTIN CARVALHO, RAHIMY RAHIM, AND LOSHANA K. SHAGAR

THE utility bills of the Prime Minister’s official residence Seri Perdana in Putrajaya came to RM2.3mil last year, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.

In a written reply to Anthony Loke (DAP-Seremban), he said RM2,237,788.13 was spent on electricity while RM311,174.25 was spent on water throughout 2012.

Shahidan also said that the electricity and water bills for the Deputy Prime Minister’s official residence Sri Satria were RM865,458.56 and RM99,264.03 for last year.

At a press conference in Parliament lobby, Loke called on Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to justify the costs.

“The US White House is only about 7.2ha, while Seri Perdana is 17ha and Sri Satria is 7.3ha.

“The White House does not only serve as the US President’s residence but also his office.

However, Seri Perdana is merely the Prime Minister’s residence,” he said.

Loke proposed that Najib and Muhyiddin pay the Goods and Services Tax (GST) out of their own pockets instead of making the taxpayers pay,” he said.