YOURSAY | The level of leakages is preposterous

YOURSAY | ‘Why is this government behaving even worse than previous governments?’

Jomo: Stop quibbling on subsidy for rakyat, look at leakages

OrangePanther1466: Economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram is so right about this. Quibbling about consumer-related subsidies misses the bigger picture of leakages and inefficiencies.

The so-called targeted subsidies will cause untold misery to many due to spillover effects. Imagine six million foreign workers not getting access to subsidised essentials.

Do you think they will continue to work without appropriate wage adjustments?

Also, a large chunk of so-called M40 will migrate down to B40 as they too would suffer from the targeted subsidy policy.

For heaven’s sake, just cut the nonsense like the RM500 million loss on the wrong ventilator purchase and expired vaccines. That’s RM500m down the drain.

Also, the revival of the five deferred stations on the LRT3 is to cost RM4.7 billion while the whole LRT line on Penang Island to Seberang Perai is to cost only RM10 billion with more than 20 stations.

Why the vast disparity in costs for the station?  

Let’s not be bean counters and instead focus on the bigger picture like plugging procurement leakages, streamlining the civil service, and productivity improvement, which should be accompanied by wage adjustments.

Don’t just complain about low wages, do something about it.

Koel: Agree with you, Jomo. This is just more means to squeeze the common person and deny the needs of many different segments of society.

At the same time, the big players, the crooks and the dodgy ways of doing deals continue without any scrutiny.

What about people who are earning but are not able to keep up with the cost of living in urban areas?

What about families that have sick members or the elderly for which no state support is forthcoming unless you work in the civil service or the government?

It is pitiful when no mention is made of the rapidly ageing population.

This administration needs to develop some understanding of what the pandemic has also done to society.  

We are a nation emerging from a major crisis.

Wealthy men making these decisions need to understand the realities of ordinary Malaysians.

We don’t all live in huge mansions, take expensive holidays in Europe and buy branded goods or the most expensive food items.

Is Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also finance minister, and Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli listening?

Stop this piddling business of “targeted” subsidies for people and dare to address the mega leakages and mega projects.

Kilimanjaro: Rafizi, I think you have some grey matter better than others.

Okay, so you get a mega database, and what do you suppose - is it going to be static or has to be dynamic? Jomo is right.

Why is this government behaving even worse than previous governments?

The leaks are preposterous.

Crack your head on how to plug the leaks and implement how to institute a fool-proof system against corruption instead of barking at the unending game of subsidies.

If you need our help in getting a foolproof system against corruption, then we're ready to help. It is just whether you and the politicians want it.

You get the message, I hope.  Let me tell a real story. I was once a member of a society.

The ever-generous me (just a joke, okay), I volunteered to develop and implement a fool-proof system to account for their finances, which included good sums of money.

Initially, it appeared that they were very keen, and I worked out a system and presented it to them.

They frowned, as it is a very transparent accounting model. They didn't like it and they started giving all sorts of excuses.

This had come at no cost to them.

Eventually, a staff member told me that there are expenses to be “hidden” like overseas trips and so on which did not fall strictly under their spending policy.

You know what I mean. Instead of chasing the elusive subsidies political drama, go into the real issues as Jomo had explained.

Subsidies go to the people, rich or poor, but a lot of money is leaking and going to the crooks. What and where are your priorities?

You are as useless as your boss and we were hell-bent on supporting you. We are the jokers, not you.

Falcon: Well put Jomo! A shout-out to the pure unadulterated hypocrisy by the current unity government and all past beholders!

Political chameleon prophets make noise about reforms but lack the courage and political will to weed out those behind leakages and corruption.

Some current residents in the government? To avoid facing hard questions, they do the next best thing to divert their attention and build up emotional traumas using the Middle East war and issues or play tourist while 46 percent of the population are filled with anxiety due to the prospect of US$1 to RM5?

What is its impact on those without safety nets, government pensions, or political patronage?

V1gn3s: The million-dollar question here is, is anyone in the government listening to experts like Jomo?

Past governments are like an ostrich’s head stuck in the sand, having their hidden agenda of enriching themselves - the reason why we are where we are today.

It was hoped that the Madani government would listen to the experts and be proactive.

I find the coalition in Pakatan Harapan is too quiet. DAP, regardless of what they say, will always have a target on their back.

Still, within the ranks, they must push their coalition to be proactive, listen to experts and show the rakyat that things are being done. The honeymoon period is long over.

Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim was right in his comments about Anwar, saying he’s too cautious, trying to please everyone.

Our prime minister must be decisive and act as if this is his last (perhaps his only) term as prime minister!

Just a Malaysian: The middle class, especially the non-Malays that supported Harapan, have to pay to get a good private education, good medical care, security, clean water (by buying good filters), and even a decent burial ground.

Living a middle-class life in Malaysia has many, many hidden costs. The party they support now targets them as economic enemies.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.