Anwar: It’s a govt helicopter this time, why upset? By Raveena Nagotra

Malaysiakini : Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has responded to critics of his helicopter usage by saying his recent mode of transportation was government owned.

“When I took a helicopter to Jeneri, they got angry… This time it’s a government helicopter, why are you upset? “It is not that it’s (personally) mine and you can’t use it; (but) it is for the prime minister,” he said. Anwar was giving a speech at Felda Teloi Timur in Kedah today.

He arrived there via a helicopter operated by the Prime Minister’s Department to attend the ‘Segalanya Felda’ carnival. Also in attendance were Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Felda chairperson Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

The area is part of the Jeneri state constituency where caretaker Kedah menteri besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor is defending his seat against Umno’s Sik division chief Muhamad Khizri Abu Kassim.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim arriving in Felda Teloi Timur via helicopter

In February, Bersatu lodged an MACC report against Pakatan Harapan and BN for their allegedly “lavish” spending during the 15th general election campaign last year, including Anwar who travelled by private helicopter to campaign.

Apart from the prime minister’s helicopter, another two operated by the police also landed on a public field near the event venue. The home minister arrived on one of them. 

One police helicopter with tail number 9M-PMD, based on flight tracking service FlightRadar24, departed the Subang Airport at 12.49pm and landed at the Butterworth Air Force Base in Penang at 2.06pm. The other police helicopter, 9M-PMB, departed Subang at 2:55pm before arriving in Butterworth at 4:03pm.

Both aircraft were next seen approaching Felda East Teloi at around 5.35pm, with 9M-PMD flying about 10 minutes ahead of 9M-PMB. 9M-PMB was leaving the area to head towards Bayan Lepas Airport in Penang, just as 9M-PMD was making its approach on the field.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail

The latter aircraft remained on the field until the end of the event before departing for the Sultan Abdul Halim airport in Alor Setar, arriving at around 7.43pm. The prime ministerial helicopter, tail number 9M-JPM, also remained on the field until Anwar boarded it at the end of the event. The aircraft’s journey was not tracked on flight tracking services for reasons unknown.

However, it is common for operators of VVIP aircraft to submit requests asking flight tracking services not to make their journeys public, for privacy and/or security reasons.