EXCLUSIVE No public funds were used to fly guests from Malaysia to Kazakhstan for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's daughter's wedding, said special officer to the premier Rizal Mansor.

Instead, Rizal said the flight costs for some guests were borne by the groom Daniyar Kessikbayev.

Rizal ( right ) was among the guests flown to Almaty, Kazakhstan, to attend the wedding reception of Nooryana Najwa Najib and Daniyar.

"I am also close with the groom's family; that is why I was invited. Some of the guests were flown to Kazakhstan by the groom's family.

“For a non-corporate person such as myself, surely it (flight) was prepared by the family there which invited (us). The others bore the costs on their own.

"The usage of a single cent of government fund (to fly guests) does not arise," he told Malaysiakini .

'Up to groom to make wedding grand or not'

Rizal also denied that a total of 300 guests were flown to Kazakhstan, pointing out that the actual figure was 250.

They had stayed in Kazakhstan from April 17 to 19.

Rizal also denied Najib's informal meeting with the Kazakh leadership is an attempt to turn the wedding trip into a government affair so Putrajaya will have to bear the cost.

"That (meeting) is not the reason for us to go there (Kazakhstan) in large numbers.

"Using the excuse of a meeting to legitimise the trip to Kazakhstan? No, no, no (that did not happen)," he said.

He added the Kazakh leadership were already aware of Najib's presence to celebrate the wedding.

He added that there is no issue of the reception being lavish, as it is handled by the groom's family and does not involve the rakyat's money.

"It is up to them to make it grand or not. It is the right of the groom's family.

"We are just guests going there to celebrate," he said.

He added that government officials on the entourage were also required to take personal leave.

Yesterday: PM's aide: Groom's side paid for KLCC bash