PUTRAJAYA — An auction of six pictures of Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders at the PH Charity Dinner at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here last night succeeded in raking in RM1.22 million.
A picture of the first press conference by PH leaders after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was sworn in as the seventh prime minister on May 10 following PH’s victory in the 14th general election a day earlier, received the highest bid, at RM500,000.
Besides the prime minister, the picture, which was also signed by five other PH leaders including Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, was bought by a local bidder, Gan Yu Chai, after the bids were open at a starting price of RM100,000.
Dr Mahathir in his speech said he never expected the bids for the pictures would run in the thousands of Ringgit.
“Therefore I want to quit my job. I just want to take pictures and sell,” he joked
Expressing his appreciation to all donors and bidders at the event, Dr Mahathir, however, stressed that no privileges would be given to them by the government.
The picture that got the second highest bid was Dr Mahathir’s picture during his first day as Prime Minister on May 23 at the Prime Minister’s Office, here.
The PH chairman’s picture was auctioned off at RM350,000 after the opening bid started at RM50,000.
A picture of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail who is also PH President was sold at RM150,000.
The other three pictures auctioned were that of PH Deputy President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for RM110,000, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng (RM100,000) and that of Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu (RM10,000).
All the pictures were signed by the respective leaders.
— BERNAMA
