Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Government Spending & The Public Burden

Kudos to Paklah & Co. for being considerate and "sensitive to the hardship faced by the people as a result of the recent increase in fuel prices". Thank you, seysey, nandri and terimakasih for proposing such moves to "ease" the public burden. The people's burden, our burden.

We know now that the measures taken by the government can ease public burden by RM 2 Billion. Come again? 2 B? Yes, overall cost cutting of government spending will save the nation RM 2 Billion. That's what Paklah said. RM 2 Billion for this year alone!
"We expect it will save RM2 billion a year," he said on the total that would be saved from the government's overall cost-cutting measures, emphasising on the word "billion". Read more here.
Marvelous, but from where such saving is mostly made? If only Paklah could identify the main culprit, the No. 1 source of all these "pembaziran", oopss.. my bad, government expenditure. From where? Is it the government office/building renovations? It can't be from the 10% entertainment allowance cuts. It doesn't come as much. Or is it actually? And I don't think "uniform/special attire for functions" cancellation could save as much. What about the cost of functions when officiating new buildings? No, can't be that either. Seminars? What then? From where? If we know that we may know from where the main cause of this unnecessary "government expenditure" (a.k.a wastage) is.

If we can save RM 2 Billion, why not make it RM 4 billion. Why cutting 10% when you can cut 20, 40% instead. Is it too much to ask?

But one thing is for sure from what has been proposed by Paklah. Over the years, too much of public money has been wasted on unnecessary causes. If not for the cost-cutting measures, it could well be RM2 Billion of unnecessary expenses for this year alone.

And again, as usual, another set of stop-gap measures have been proposed by our dear Prime Minister and our caring government to overcome yet another major crisis. Terima kasih. Jazakhumullah bi khairan.

"Yang berat sama dipikul, yang ringan sama dijinjing"? Wallahualam

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good first step by the government.

Many I have spoken to have said that whether it is really enough???? And most of all, will the rakyat get to feel the cost cutting measures? Or will it be used for another govt agency for example.

It is just too vague. It is time for action and not just saying taking action but real action that the rakyat can feel and understand.

Take for example the fuel hike, the rakyat feel it and understand why. But will the cost saving the felt and understood????

Letting the time pass me by said...

Hopefully people can still survive and have something to eat and to cherish in life...

I am wondering what happen to the government? Cutting subsidy, price increase? Are we run put of money? Is the country is desperate for money? Anymore money left in the Bank Negara?

Recession may be inevitable, but the government need to make sure that the impact can be soften for those with less money.... Not following the capitalism idea ... the poor is getting poorer and the rich is getting richer...