KUALA LUMPUR: The three special envoys to the government have received a total of RM27,227.20 each and have not made official trips since their appointments in April 2020, says Datuk Abd Latiff Ahmad

       In a parliamentary written reply, the Special Functions Minister said they were given other facilities including offices, chauffeur-driven cars and mobile phones for their official duties.

       "Based on their finalised service contracts, the emolument received by all special envoys is RM27,227.20.

       "So far, no official overseas trips have been made by the special envoys to the government," he said in reply to a question from Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (PH-Johor Bahru).

       Akmal Nasrullah had asked the Prime Minister to reveal the emolument amount, allowances or official trips made by the special envoys appointed by the government since April 2020.

       The government has three special envoys, each tasked to cover a specific region.

       Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang is the special envoy to the Middle East, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing is the special envoy to China wand and Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem is the special envoy to East Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

       The special envoys enjoy the same rank as Federal ministers.

       Hadi and Tiong are the presidents of PAS and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) respectively, while Riot is the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) deputy president.

       Their reappointment follows the formation of a new government and swearing-in of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Malaysia's ninth prime minister.