KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has today slammed critics of his administration’s efforts to attract investments, describing their accusations as baseless.

Anwar said he was astonished that his disclosure of the travels were blasted, saying the reaction was reflective of a "crazy era” where wrongdoers are glorified, while clean and transparent initiatives are condemned.

"In this country, if we keep entertaining those who steal, plunder, and rob, they are glorified, but when we try to run programs in a clean and proper manner, we are criticised.

"This is what’s called jaman edan or half-crazed,” he told a town hall session at the second anniversary of the Madani government here.

Anwar said those who joined the delegation are private companies with the potential to invest or explore investment opportunities, such as Proton, Petronas, Yinson, Sapura Energy, Top Glove, and semiconductor companies.

"They join the delegation and cover their own costs. Even that becomes an issue?” the finance minister asked.

On Thursday, Anwar explained in Parliament that the government’s new strategy to reduce overseas travel expenses was to invite companies such as Petronas, Proton, and others to participate.

Anwar said the firms covered approximately 75 per cent of the total costs of his recent travels, which drew questions about the propriety of the arrangement.

Yesterday, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil clarified that private companies did not pay for Anwar’s recent travels abroad.

He said the government still covered the cost for Anwar’s delegation, while corporate executives who travelled along paid for their own portion of the total expenses.

Fahmi also clarified that Anwar’s daughter, Nurul Izzah, joined the delegation in her official capacity as a representative of think tank Institute of Strategic and International Studies, and not a family member.