September 27, 2011
SEPT 27 — A million here and a million there. RM100 million here and there. Salary increase? No problem. But what about productivity and managing the budget deficit? Don’t worry.
Yes this is the season where the ringgit is being thrown around with such abandon, where the bank is being raided so that the incumbents remain in office.
But the truth is that ultimately all the money or sanctioned bribery is being funded by you and me as taxpayers (not by ministers or MPs because they don’t pay taxes).
Even the plundering of Petronas has consequences for all of us, especially our children. Money from oil and gas was never meant to fund the operating expenditure of the government.
But such has been the profligacy of the government that like a heroin addict, it can’t get without a fix from Petronas.
Why is the Najib administration willing to throw money around like there is no tomorrow?
Because the prime minister and friends believe that everyone of us can be bought.
They believe that we may march against electoral fraud or denounce corruption or even be appalled by the mediocrity in government but after a while, we can be silenced by the flow of ringgit into our pockets.
So the RM1 million for Chinese schools in Penang and the RM100 million for vernacular schools should be seen in this light.
At the end of the day, the administration believes that our allegiance can be bought.
They believe that at the core we are people of little principles and soulless, people who worship at the altar of money and financial gain.
* Spencer Gan reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
Yes this is the season where the ringgit is being thrown around with such abandon, where the bank is being raided so that the incumbents remain in office.
But the truth is that ultimately all the money or sanctioned bribery is being funded by you and me as taxpayers (not by ministers or MPs because they don’t pay taxes).
Even the plundering of Petronas has consequences for all of us, especially our children. Money from oil and gas was never meant to fund the operating expenditure of the government.
But such has been the profligacy of the government that like a heroin addict, it can’t get without a fix from Petronas.
Why is the Najib administration willing to throw money around like there is no tomorrow?
Because the prime minister and friends believe that everyone of us can be bought.
They believe that we may march against electoral fraud or denounce corruption or even be appalled by the mediocrity in government but after a while, we can be silenced by the flow of ringgit into our pockets.
So the RM1 million for Chinese schools in Penang and the RM100 million for vernacular schools should be seen in this light.
At the end of the day, the administration believes that our allegiance can be bought.
They believe that at the core we are people of little principles and soulless, people who worship at the altar of money and financial gain.
* Spencer Gan reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.
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