YOURSAY | MP allocations – a plan to break poverty cycle needed

YOURSAY | 'These are unprecedented times and we need unprecedented and strong-willed measures.'

COMMENT | There’s something about Mary and MPs RM25k monthly salary

Anonymous 080: It would be good to put into context that the MPs’ basic salary is about RM16,000, and RM9,000 of other allowances, nearly all are tax-free.

However, at the same time, as an MP, they have expenses that you, me and Ah Chong don’t have, and many also do not have any other source of income.

My assemblyperson in 1978 was a former headmaster, aged 46 then. His party nominated him to contest and he won handsomely, did a splendid job and was in his constituency two days a week, sweeping easily 400 people at each visit.

Those days, folks would easily gather to see and meet the assemblyperson, leaving their jobs or businesses for an hour, and after a quick tucker and meet, they would all go back to work. His monthly allowances then were RM1,000, slightly lower than his headmaster salary of RM1,000!

I followed him almost every week. He would arrive at the local Pakistani tea stall at 7am, pay for all the food - estimated at RM20 each morning, as roti canai was only 10 sen and tea was 10 sen back then.

By the time he attended funerals, weddings, visitations, etc, he would be down to just RM100 every day. Working on this, his monthly allowance would have been spent just in his constituency.

He didn’t have any office and worked from home where every visitor would be served hot coffee and snacks by his family.

His children had to vacate their beds every time they received a visitor who needed a lift to the federal government offices early the next morning. Every week, he made a visit to Kuala Lumpur and the state capital to sort out his constituents and party members’ matters.

He would not have enough money for his family living in a modest home. He relied on his travelling claims to make ends meet.

Never had he asked for any ‘habuan’ (reward) all the while. At the next election, due to political pressures from his rivals, the president of his party had to drop him and he only received a pension of RM160 after deduction of housing loan of RM500! How sad is that?

Thus, you can’t take an issue of RM25,000 MP "salary" and put it into the context of a B40 (bottom 40 percent) person to compare. Be fair to the other hardworking party and rakyat-elected MPs.

Mano: I totally agree with you, @Anonymous 080. There are a few of such MPs for whom the notion of being an elected representative is to serve and not to be served.

Unfortunately, truth be told, these kinds of politicians are nil in the political parties of the ruling government. There is a number in the opposition. Often, they are also harassed, using official tools to break down the spirit of these selfless souls.

This article by Malaysiakini columnist S Thayaparan may be repeating what former MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj has been saying, but is definitely welcomed.

Constant repetition is necessary. If more of us, who are probably from M40 (middle 40 percent) help push the agenda by forwarding this article, we may in our small way make the MPs aware - not that they are not aware of the dire need to help the many Mary, Ah Moi, Aminah of the B40, etc - but they will feel the pressure to do something.

The elites in BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are stuffing their pockets and bank accounts to live an obscenely luxurious lifestyle, with more Hermes bags and more luxurious watches.

There are many immediate cost-cutting measures that can be done:

1. Cut the cabinet size.

2. Cut the salary and perks of cabinet members.

3. Cut the salary and perks of all MPs and assemblypersons.

4. Ensure each constituency gets funds directly from the Treasury. The uncorrupted untainted senior PTD (Administrative and Diplomatic Service) officers should release funds according to needs, and never according to the political party or their personal affinities.

5. All politicians should vacate their GLC (government-linked company) plush jobs. They are not adding any value to the GLCs. It is obvious that they are placed there to get support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and to fill up their personal coffers.

Let the posts be filled by technocrats who are also willing to do national service at a fraction of the pay. All salaries, perks and bonuses of GLCs must be slashed. The employees must be made to appreciate that they are still having jobs while there are many rakyat on the streets like Mary.

Likewise, all top government servants must take a big pay cut.

6. All purchases/projects for the government should be sourced from the lowest price and the best quality bidder. It is a well-known fact that in our country, many things are marked up so heavily that the original price of the item is a tiny fraction of that final price.

These are unprecedented times and we need unprecedented and strong-willed measures.

MS: Countries with a well-earned reputation for high-level crookedness, malingering and profiteering, like Malaysia, need a pay-for-performance system for its parliamentarians.

Stringent audits of their attendance, speeches, participation in select committees and money spent on their constituents can be factored in before deciding on the monthly allowance.

If, in fact, such an audit with these measures serves to disincentivise and repel the charlatans we know from running for office, the ground will be clear for the truly honourable to serve.

True Fiction: Handouts are but temporary solutions that will more likely create a dependency mindset than address the aim of reducing or eradicating poverty.

What is needed is a holistic long-term plan to break the cycle of poverty through access to market (economic talk for trade or employment, including transportation), affordable housing, and (most important) education.

I will not dwell on details. Many studies have been done. The most recent prominent attempt to guide policy was the (now defunct) National Economic Action Council (NEAC) final report of December 2010 (see Chapter 6).

As for elected representatives' (and I'll add senators' and ministers') remuneration - this just demonstrates that in some instances being a clown is quite financially rewarding.

OrangeKoala1303: First of all, “poverty porn” is such an unsettling phrase because it suggests that people derive pleasure from others in poverty.

And secondly, because people probably think that it is an exaggeration of what really is a real problem. Even in the city, one can just pay a visit to the numerous low-cost housing to know it's no exaggeration.

I get how this may be the case when people are increasingly more trapped in their own social classes and social media algorithms exacerbate this condition by showing content interesting to like-minded people.

Therefore, it is vitally important to get out of our "news" bubble, so we are able to form a fair view for ourselves. Be open, but also critical of what we hear, see, read and watch. Consider the background of authors or presenters and their source of funding. Verify sensationalised reports by checking other sources.

Yup, it's not easy.

FlabberPro: Hence, that’s why I was disgusted that our prime minister wanted to declare an emergency, thinking that the rakyat have no dire needs and other financial commitments. He lives a comfortable life in his bubble, ignorant and oblivious to the rakyat's pressing needs.

Drive around some poor villages and how could we not get angry that the people who are supposed to help them use the money instead to purchase some luxurious cars? And to know that our youth had to climb a tree just to get an internet connection. Yet, our representatives have the audacity to accuse otherwise.

Say what you want to say, our incumbent government is not one that truly cares. Worse, they are not defending their race and religion, as they claim over and over again. They were defending themselves!

I am utterly disgusted by those who abuse religion and create dissension among the races, just for selfish gains.

Xoxo: Is it any wonder that former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and the likes still command so much support today? Imagine if you are in such a dire state and someone like Najib comes along and throws some crumbs at you. Won't you think he is an angel and your saviour?

Will you blame them? How to put food on the table for their family and to pay for the medical bills for their children is more important than to think how Najib and the likes got their billions.

YOURSAY | Here’s how PN can show it’s better than Harapan

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