Sunday, April 18, 2010

RM10

I broke out laughing loudly at the last few sentences of this article sent in by an anonymous writer. It was the writer's way of getting back at Sharizat for mocking the RM100 that was given out recently to old people in Penang. Uncouth it may be, but somehow I felt that it was really the exact words that all of us want to tell to the whole lot of plundering and greedy politicians. It really best describes our state of mind and our 'best wishes' to the politicians.

An excerpt from the same article here:

"A Morgan Stanley analyst estimated that between 1984 and 2003, RM360 billion was siphoned off by Umnoputras and their cronies. The Auditor-General’s Report bears ample testimony to the plunder of the nation’s wealth."

Somehow, I find the figure above hard to believe. Consider this, 13 states and tens of ministries, and the amount allegedly siphoned was 2B per year? Kid me not.

I believe the estimate is off tangent by at least 3-5 times. The real figure, we will never know unless we have the muscle like Obama to pry open the swiss banking secrecy laws. 2B per year to me is a gross under estimate.

In recent memory, PKFZ, Perwaja, submarine, sukhoi etc - all in billions category and all too many zeroes unaccounted for.

The period in question was when we had impressive growth. There were times when the economy stumbled and hiccuped, you can be sure there was always the stimulus plans and mid term packages to keep the registers clinking.

Even though Sharizat seems a nice enough lady, her comments to mock the RM100 really unmasks the real arrogant face of our top politicians. Probably to her Rm100 is not enough to fill the petrol for her car, but hey, it is still good money to us struggling rakyat. To cynically condemn another person's act of good faith while sorely lacking charitable initiatives of her own really puts the icing on the cake.

The act of giving, no matter how big or small is always welcomed in any society.

Moreover, taken against the backdrop of a State government which is struggling to balance its own income and expenditure, then it is all the more noble. Already I am struggling to keep up but you can have this Rm100, that's all I can spare for the moment.

Sad to say, I am not yet silver hair category, so not yet a recipient of the Rm100. But if the little island down south can give back a few hundred yearly, I can still carry on wishing that my government here will likewise come up with the same.

I can earn the said amount through my own effort and without crutches, but it is just my wish to receive, not so much for extra spending, but to know that big brother up there in Putrajaya do care. It will be nice to know that I am not just another IC number, or another number in the LHDN files. Just to have the warm fuzzy feeling of being appreciated.

Dear Sharizat, once you have a noble scheme up and running ( let's hope its not for some by-election or GE ), please email me. I would love to write an article to put you in good light.

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