Prime Minister Najib caught Malaysians unaware by cutting subsidy on five items: sugar, cooking gas, Ron 95, Ron 97, and diesel. The country will save RM750 million subsequently. Najib said money saved will be used on education and health.
Najib also claimed that the opinions of people were sought, and they agreed to subsidy cuts. The claim was doubtful as reports in various media showed otherwise. Instead of cutting subsidy, people wanted the government to do away with wasteful spending and check on corruption which is rampant.
With the money saved, how can the public monitor whether it will be truly used in the said category? There had been numerous unfulfilled promises since the days of Dr. Mahathir, so much so that people are unconvinced by the “sincerity” of the government.
Malaysia could be a very prosperous country. We have many natural resources, yet we are lagging behind our neighbor Singapore which has nothing. We were the pride of Asia in the 1960s and 1970s, our economies surpassed China, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. But today not only these countries have overtaken us, even the backward countries like Vietnam and Cambodia will soon be able to jeer at us.
It is very disappointed that our standard of living is on the decline. If not because of corruption by our leaders, we would not suffer lack. Sad to say that today Malaysia is one of the most expensive place to live in the world. Don’t believe? Let me enclose a message which was written by a frustrated Malaysian I received in Facebook. I am sure many Malaysians can identify with the thoughts of the writer. But what to do, since we don’t have any means to migrate?
Message by a frustrated Malaysian:
What do we get for paying all the toll fares every day? The roads are built with our tax money and we still have to pay exorbitant toll fares just to use them.
The momentum of the government policies is moving towards cutting off all subsidies. The petrol that comes from our own oil wells will soon cost the same like that of countries that own no wells.
Then the extra GST (goods and services tax) that serves no purpose to the consumers, except making the government richer.
Now we have to pay RM50 just to have the convenience of using a credit card.
Why is it getting so expensive to live in Malaysia now?
Here are more reasons why:
- We have to pay for security guards because the police are totally useless.
- We have to install expensive water filters because the water supply is so dirty and rusty.
- We have to watch satellite TV because the government teleasts are so substandard.
- We have to send our children for tuition because the government schools are below par.
- We have to send our grown children to private colleges because the government colleges are primarily reserved for a certain group.
- Even when our children earn many “A”s, that does not guarantee a place in the local universities. Thus we have to spend more money to send our children overseas.
- In many places, we have to pay IPPs (Independent Power Providers) because the government is not able to provide consistent electricity supply.
- We have to pay Indah Water to clean up the sewers.
- We have to buy our own cars because the public transport is a big fat joke.
- We have to pay taxes for foreign cars because a certain old politician and his cronies need to keep the dying local car industry alive.
- We have to pay the AP (Approved Permits) cost for imported cars and these APs are controlled by the politicians and their cronies.
- We can only visit few clients in a day because the government does not know how to prevent traffic jams.
- We have to drive through floods every time the storm hits. Some places, not only our streets are flooded but our homes.
- We have to pay bribes to the police because they are experts in creating fake traffic offenses.
- We even have to pay the dog catchers to leave our pets alone.
- We have to pay to sustain the government’s affirmative action policies.
- We have to pay for private health care because the public hospitals are too crowded.
Our hard-earned saving is shrinking because the Malaysian Ringgit is currently struggling to keep up with other currencies.
To the Expatriates, Malaysia is a cheap place to live but to those of us who earn small salaries in Malaysian Ringgit, this country is getting very expensive to survive.
All above taken from
http://www.themicahmandate.org/
