On Tuesday, the national news agency Bernama reported …
“the government unveiled its second economic stimulus package totalling RM60 billion, comprising initiatives and ideas to invigorate vital sectors to maintain the people’s welfare and prosperity in the face of the global economic downturn.”
Questions for the rakyat:
a. Do you understand what the RM60 billion stimulus package is all about?
b. Do you think you and your family will benefit from it?
c. Based on your responses, what would you like your MP to do about them?
– Terjemahan oleh Lee Wee Tak – Ucapan ribuan terima kasih dari Wee Choo Keong –
Soalan Mingguan WR Anda ke-49
Pada hari Selasa, agensi berita kebangsaan Bernama melaporkan bahawa …
“pihak kerajaan membentangkan rancangan perangsangan ekonomi keduanya berjumlah RM60 billion, meliputi langkah-langkah dan ikhtiar-ikhtiar bertujuan merancakkan bahagian-bahagian penting demi kebajikan rakyat dalam menghadapi kegentingan ekonomi sejagat”
Soalan untuk rakyat:
a. Adakah anda memahami apakah kandungan rancangan perangsangan ekonomi ini?
b. Adakah anda rasa anda dan keluarga anda memperolehi manfaat daripadanya?
c. Berdasarkan sambutan anda, apakah tindakan nan anda harap WR anda mengambil?
My answers:
a. Duh.
b. No. Benefits will only flow certain parties. In fact, my family and I contributed to this amount by way of tax.
c. Gimme some time, will write in more detail.
a) 30%-50% understood.
b) No.
c) More details.
“Malaysia scored a dismal 35 out of 100 points in the Open Budget Index (OBI) 2008 and is ranked 53rd out of 85 countries.”
“Malaysia is now listed under the “minimal information” category on Budget information provided by the Government, behind countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.”
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/13/nation/20090213170109&sec=nation
The question is, it is still not clear where the funding will be coming from. Can Najib be questioned in Parliament on this. I don’t know whether what he said on Federal Government debt is true. I will email you a pie chart on that.
On the review of the RM60b mini-budget, please go here.
Najib dispenses RM3.2b within a week of its announcement. But yet the method of distributing these funds is quite unclear.
And yet, in the same budget text, there is a promise by Najib to tighten the tender process. There is lack of explanation on the selection of contractors and how these funds are flowing into the economy so fast because the govt’s tender process takes months to complete. How can tenders be completed within days for RM3.2b worth of projects. The Finance Ministry needs to properly explain this.
apart from the inconsistency mentioned above, one of the most difficult thing for a politician to do is to carry out exactly what he or she promised because there are either factors that he or she can control … or not.
So in the UMNO AGM, I heard some positive remarks from the top that UMNO needs to take care of all Malaysians….and let’s see what’s the grassroots’ point of view.
http://1426.blogspot.com/2009/03/stupidiest-among-morons-of-united-malay.html
I rest my case. If this is a strategy of winning hearts and minds of all, I am impressed.