Here are 5 smartphones Transport Minister Anthony Loke CAN accept

Today I stumbled on a fairly shocking video that was uploaded by news portal Malaysiakini, but it wasn’t shocking in the scandalous kind of way, which I guess could make it even more shocking. It was a video of Transport Minister Anthony Loke turning down a smartphone gift from an event organiser because he can’t accept gifts worth over RM500.

Well, if RM500 is the ceiling, we’ve got a few ideas of smartphones that event organisers can use as gifts for future events with invited ministers.

In the video, Anthony said that he could not accept the smartphones because he was sure that they were worth over RM500. According to a report by credible Malaysian daily The Star, Minister Loke was offered two smartphones, a Huawei P20 and a Nova 3i, which retail for RM2,299 and RM1,249 respectively. That’s a combined RRP value of RM3,548, which, according to The Star is “almost RM4,000”.

Now, there must have been some kind of miscommunication here and the reason this happened was probably because the event organisers didn’t know Malaysian ministers couldn’t accept gifts over RM500. I personally blame a lack of information as the root cause of this problem because I’m sure the organisers only wanted to thank Anthony for attending their event with a good smartphone. And if you Google “best smartphones 2018” you get a list filled with expensive handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Huawei P20 Pro.

Granted, neither of the phones that were presented to Anthony were on those lists but I still believe that it was just an honest mistake.

But that’s OK because I’m here to help. If you’re an event organiser that wants to present a simple token of appreciation to future ministers who attend your launch events, here’s a list of smartphones under RM500 that you can definitely consider instead.

[nextpage title=”Budget smartphones under RM500″]

1. Xiaomi Redmi 6 (RM499)

Here’s a pro-tip, when you’re looking for budget phones that are also good for their money, you generally can’t go wrong with Xiaomi’s suite of handsets.

The Redmi 6, for example, is actually quite a lot of phone for its asking price of RM499. You’ve got a 5.45-inch display upfront that pushes a HD+ resolution of 1440×720 pixels with slim bezels and no notch! Inside, it’s powered by a MediaTek Helio P22 processor (which is not bad for the price) that’s mated to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD).

At the back, it’s got a 12MP + 5MP dual camera setup (with AI features!) while the front features a 5MP selfie shooter. It’s also got a fingerprint scanner at the back and a 3,000 mAh battery keeping everything running.

For more details, you can check out our announcement post here.

Where to buy:
Online: Shopee, Lazada

2. Xiaomi Redmi 6A (RM349)

If you think that the Redmi 6, being priced so close to RM500 might be a little offensive, you could opt for the Xiaomi Redmi 6A instead. This handset is priced at just RM349. Despite that, it still features the same kind of display as the Redmi 6 (a 5.46″ HD+ panel) that’s mated to 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (also expandable via microSD).

Unfortunately, you only get one 13MP camera at the back (but it has PDAF) and one 5MP selfie shooter up front, but that seems like a reasonable compromise considering the price. You do still get a 3,000 mAh battery that charges via microUSB.

For more details, you can check out our announcement post here.

Where to buy:
Online: Shopee, Lazada

3. Nokia 2.1 (RM415)

I’m sure ministers are often very busy and have very long days. Therefore, if you want to make sure the minister attending your event gets a phone that lasts, the Nokia 2.1 might just be the device you need.

Coming in at just RM415, this phone has a number of key features that make it worthy of this list. The first is the fact that the handset packs a pair of stereo speakers into its chin and forehead — something you don’t even find in handsets that cost two, even three times more than this phone. Up front, it’s got a 5.5-inch HD display pushing a resolution of 1280×720 pixels. However, one of its best features is its large 4,000 mAh battery that Nokia says can last two days.

However, the trade off is that you only get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor that’s mated to 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. While storage is expandable, the 1GB of RAM is a little hard to swallow. Still, the device runs on stock Android Oreo (Go Edition) which is a special lightweight version of Android that’s designed to give even entry-level devices a smooth experience. For photos, you’re getting an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie shooter up front.

Learn more here.

Where to buy:
Online: Shopee

4. Wiko View Max (RM499)

Alternatively, if you want a battery powerhouse smartphone, you can also opt for the Wiko View Max as it also features a 4,000 mAh battery. In front, the handset features a large 5.99-inch HD+ display (1440×720), while a MediaTek MT6739 processor lives inside. It also features 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage that you can further expand with a microSD card.

For photos, you’re getting a 13MP rear camera and an 8-megapixel selfie shooter up front. It is a little more expensive than the Nokia 2.1, retailing at RM499, but you do get more storage and RAM plus a larger screen so its value depends on the trade-off you want to make.

Where to buy:
Online: Shopee, Lazada

5. honor 7A (RM479)

Finally, we have the honor 7A, which is a no-frills handset that gives you a functional experience at the low price of RM479. This phone features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor inside, mated to 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage that can be expanded further via a dedicated microSD card slot.

Up front you’ll find a 5.7-inch HD+ display with slim bezels sitting just below the 8MP selfie camera and soft LED flashlight — perfect for low-light situations. At the back you’ll find a 13MP main camera and a 3,000 mAh battery tucked under its metal back. This battery charges via microUSB.

Learn more here.

Where to buy:
Online: Shopee, Lazada

Even more budget phones!

And those are just five good phones you can pick up for under RM500 the next time you want to hand out an appreciative token. If you need more, our sister site SoyaCincau BM compiled a separate list of budget handsets that you can also check out if you’re in the market.

Of course, while Transport Minister Anthony Loke can technically accept these handsets, whether will is a different story. After all he said in a press conference after the launch that he does not need to be given gifts for attending launch events.

“We have to walk the talk and not accept such tokens of appreciation. We don’t need such appreciation,” said Anthony.

“I want to remind event organisers not to give me gifts. I don’t need such gifts. Just invite me, and I will come to launch the function.”

What a paragon our Transport Minister is. Insert smiling emoji with the tear.