Government Finally Changes Its Lifestyle. And Why People Still Deserve To Be Pissed.
June 9, 2008
Thanks to cchivy for emailed pic
I still remember a couple of years ago when the price of petroleum was raised from RM1.62 to RM1.92 a liter (I miss those days already :)) Our Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak then told us to suck it up, and change our lifestyle and buy the cheapest food and cheapest goods to deal with the increase. At the same period of time, his ‘humble’ multi-million dollar home was still under renovation in Putrajaya (from what I could observe from far).
This time around, after the 78 sen increase, the government has finally taken its own advice. The newly formed Anti-Inflation Council met today and announced a RM2 billion cost cutting measure for the government.
So it seems like the government is actually listening to the people, right? Well, yes, and no, depending on how you see it. The entire list can be found here (Malaysiakini subscription).
Some things that I think deserve more attention on:
10% cut on entertainment allowances for ministers and deputy ministers
Honestly, I do not know what kind of ‘entertaining’ ministers or deputy ministers need to do, or how much their allowances are, but we should just do away with this expense. A minister and his/her deputy should be doing their work without the need for entertaining. In fact, I assume that they will be entertained more than them entertaining other people.
Annual all-expense paid trips for cabinet members and their family to be limited to local and ASEAN destinations (whereas there used to be no restriction on the destination), limited to 7 days of travel
Wait, what? Why the hell are we still paying our taxes for the cabinet members fun and happiness? These trips should be canceled altogether, since the ministers are being paid enough money (more than the above average Malaysian) to afford their own trips.
Assuming the costs of one of these trips are RM20,000 for a family of 6 to Bali, which is actually a low estimate cause I assume they are travelling by AirAsia and staying in a 3 star hotel for 7 days. The true figure for first class tickets to MAS and 5 star hotel accommodation could easily be double that figure. Let’s just settle on RM30,000 for calculations sake.
There are 69 ministers and deputy ministers in the cabinet, so that makes out to RM30,000 x 69 = RM2,070,000
So every year, us taxpayers are paying RM2 million a year for these ministers’ fun. Is this fair? Do you still want to ask why the public is still angry over the government’s move to increase petrol prices, even though it might be the most economically sound thing to do?
The government say that they want to listen to the rakyat, that they want to engage the online masses. Well, I believe I won’t be the only one to pick on these particular government expenses. I hope Abdullah Ahmad Badawi does the right thing and eliminates all entertainment allowances and all-expense paid holidays.
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9 Responses to “Government Finally Changes Its Lifestyle. And Why People Still Deserve To Be Pissed.”
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Yeah, i know. Me and my family only laugh when we watch the news saying that they are cutting 10% from their allowances. Why so low? Why don’t cut 50% from what they’re already getting?We, the rakyat can get increase up to 100% of fuel but not them? WTF! And oh, paying for their ‘vacations’ and such, that suck. use your own hard earned money to do that la idiots! damn angry already
GnomeFan
June 9, 2008 at 10:01 pm
ya la! that is my question also: why the hell are we paying the ministers to have fun??? its like the CEO or the execs wanna have holiday on the expense of the company. hello, u got to ask the shareholders leh! got to have meetings leh! got to see if you have done your jobs properly leh! linabu, you are about to loose your job altogether and this is what you can cut down…for 10%? @&*^%$#@
June 9, 2008 at 10:31 pm
$2 billion saved
On PM cost cutting measures
Will it happen?
This is the issue
Hiding the grand magic
Wool the peoples’ eyes
So all those years
The government spent unnecessarily
On expensive trips overseas
And other entertainment expenses
Don’t get fooled
There is this ‘subsidy’ saved
Running to tens of billions
We want to know where the oil money goes
And also the Federal JKKK
Feeding the cronies and political affiliations
Doing double work in the villages
This should stop
It will save tax-payers monies of billions too
Will the sleeping beauty do it?
Giving us rebates of $625 on cars……
It is just stupid in its way
The government doesn’t have to increase petrol hike
We are oil producing country
It is the peoples’ needs come first
Feed the people than export the excess crude oil
It is happening in the country?
With the money saved of tens of billions
The BN should buy over the toll companies
Take it all back for privatization fails
And let there be free flow of traffic
On the highways
The sleeping beauty
Running out of options
He bombs himself
Feeding his people
And his cronies
This time he sees
The many potholes
Waiting for him
June 10, 2008 at 11:28 am
We’re paying taxes so the likes of fat Rosmah can go on vacations??!! Great.
June 10, 2008 at 5:42 pm
I agree with Togo the Dog. I have always wanted to say this: Rosmah is bigger each time I see her on screen. Our monies are feeding her fat!!!
June 11, 2008 at 1:11 am
so typica… in trying to save their ass.. they reveal things…. we are not stupid.
June 11, 2008 at 9:58 pm
so does the fat jean. she’s obviously getting fatter since she made to the headlines when married badawi
June 11, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Good point. However I dont think you should totally remove the entertainment allowance. Instead of cutting 10%, give them only 10% of the amount. Most ministers are well entertained. Highly unlikely for them to entertain others. I dont mind if they need to karoke for the sake of stress.
June 25, 2008 at 1:04 pm
We’re paying taxes so Rxxxxx can blow up girls prettier than her??!!
Togo the Dogs last blog post..Birthday Shots
Klaw: That’s seditious. I have submitted your IP to warkahuntukpm.com.my.
June 27, 2008 at 4:19 pm