Sorry, free Bali holiday cancelled, staff of GLC under PMO told

An all-expense paid overseas holiday trip by a government-linked company under the Prime Minister's Office has been cancelled, two weeks after MalaysiaNow revealed details of the plan.

It is understood that staff of Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad (PHB), a company tasked with managing property assets to increase the Bumiputera's ownership of prime commercial properties, learnt of the cancellation of the trip to the Indonesian island of Bali during a well-attended townhall meeting today.

"PHB CEO Mohamad Damshal Awang Damit broke the news to the staff himself," an insider told MalaysiaNow.

At the meeting, employees were also reminded of the company's confidentiality policy and warned that no "sensitive information" should be disclosed to the media or third parties.

"No one was allowed to bring their mobile phones to the meeting," the source added.

On Aug 5,  MalaysiaNow revealed details of PHB's company vacation to Bali, its first overseas "retreat" for all staff, which was scheduled for three days starting Sept 6 at a cost of RM2,450 per person.

Although a spokesperson had denied that the trip had been finalised, emails to staff seen by MalaysiaNow indicated that it was a done deal, with employees being told to get their passports and belongings ready.

"This retreat is PHB's way of showing appreciation for your hard work and dedication that have helped PHB excel in its business," read one email sent to staff in June.

"Pack your comfort wear, sunscreen, and a sense of adventure!"

When contacted, Nadia Hadi, who heads PHB's corporate strategy department, had defended the trip as normal practice.

"We are government-linked but we are being run as a professional company so there is no waste," she had told MalaysiaNow.

PHB is one of more than 40 public-funded entities under the wing of the PMO. It is responsible for managing more than 20 assets worth about RM10 billion as well as Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera (AHB) unit trusts worth about RM5 billion for government clients such as Perbadanan Nasional Berhad, Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council and Permodalan Nasional Berhad.

In June, officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission visited PHB's offices in Shah Alam and spent three hours there as part of an investigation into complaints of financial mismanagement. Since then, there has been no new information.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim himself is the chairman of PHB's board of trustees.

In the 2024 budget, he announced that PHB would be placed under Yayasan Pelaburan Bumiputra (YPB), another Bumiputera powerhouse under the PMO.

Last month, MalaysiaNow revealed a plan by two Selangor government companies to hold their board meetings in Perth, Australia, where Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari will join directors and top executives for a four-day "retreat" from Aug 23.

One of the companies, Kumpulan Hartanah Selangor Berhad, defended the trip as part of a "technical delegation" to study the property sector.

The company had similarly claimed that the trip was still in the proposal stage and had yet to be approved by the board.