The single question all Malaysians are asking about the 2013 Budget to be presented by the Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in Parliament tomorrow is not whether there will be a second payment of BR1M (1Malaysia People’s Aid) but whether the second BR1M will be more than double the first BR1M of RM500.
Furthermore, whether the second BR1M payment would benefit more people than just the 4.2 million households earning less than RM3,000 a month as provided for under Budget 2012 . i.e. households earning up to RM4,000 or RM5,000 a month.
The Barisan Nasional government, through their representatives at various levels in the country, have led Malaysians to expect these second BR1M benefits from Budget 2013 tomorrow, and if the second BR1M payment is not more than double the first BR1M payout of RM500 or does not benefit more than the 4.2 million households earning less than RM3,000 a month, Najib and the Umno/BN government should expect an adverse backlash from the Malaysian people.
Najib has himself to blame that the country’s annual budget presentation in Parliament has become an annual Santa Claus occasion, all because of Najib’s indecisiveness and obsessive fear of the 13th General Elections, causing him to transform his 42-month premiership into an prolonged and unending electioneering campaign.
When Najib presented his 2012 Budget on 7th October last year with the RM2.1 billion allocation for the first BRIM payment of RM500 per household, his sole consideration was to use it as his primary weapon to win votes and a thumping mandate for his premiership in the 13th General Elections.
Unfortunately, as the saying goes, “Man proposes, God disposes”, and Najib’s plans went awry following the breakout of the RM250 million “cow/condominium” scandal after the presentation of 2012 Budget.
Najib’s new rescheduled timetable for the 13th General Elections in June/July this year also went kaput after the disastrous government/police mishandling of the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28.
Instead, Malaysians see Najib’s desperation when the Umno/BN government had to hijack the 55th Merdeka Day/49th Malaysia Day celebrations by imposing the BN election theme of “Janji Ditepati” for the two national celebrations – which further provoked negative backlash among independent-minded and discerning Malaysians.
The recent survey by Universiti Malaya Center for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) which found a three per cent drop in the people’s support towards the Prime Minister five months between early April and early September bears out a slide, though slight, of Najib’s popularity.
The survey also found a decline in confidence that a Najib-led BN would retain Putrajaya following the 13th general election.
The earlier survey done found 49 percent were confident that BN would defend Putrajaya, while the latest survey found that figure had dropped to 44 percent.
In the meantime, the people’s confidence that Pakatan Rakyat would win Putrajaya has increased from 21 percent in March to 30 percent in its survey ending Sept 15, while the number of those uncertain has declined by 26 percent.
The survey further noted a decline in support for the PM’s transformation programmes focusing on three key reforms – the RM500 given to families (BR1M) who have less than RM3,000 in wages, the Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) and also the 1Malaysia clinics.
For example, for the BR1M program, there was a decline in support by five per cent from 66 percent, while KR1M, which recorded a 68 percent support in the previous survey, dropped to 56 percent.
The 1Malaysia clinic also recorded a decline in support to 65 percent from 74 previously.
Can a second payment of BR1M which more than double the first BR1M of RM500 and benefiting more than 4.2 million households, as well as a cornucopia of other goodies to various sectors in the 2013 Budget, restore Najib’s popularity and the electoral fortunes for Umno/BN for the 13th general elections?
Only the results of the next general elections, whether held at the end of the year or early next year, can provide the answers.
It is undoubtedly a major setback for good governance in Malaysian when the primary question that is asked about the annual budget is not how the country could become more competitive and better positioned to achieve the goal of a developed and high-income nation but what is the best formula to fortify UMNO and Barisan Nasional’s position in the next general elections to save Najib’s premiership!
///While the federal debt on paper inches closer to the 55 percent of GDP threshold, senior lawyer Tommy Thomas says the “true debt” as of December 2011 was RM573 bllion, or a whopping 67 percent of the GDP.///
Bigger election goodies will drive the country quicker towards bankruptcy.
///…but what is the best formula to fortify UMNO and Barisan Nasional’s position in the next general elections to save Najib’s premiership!///
That is blatant abuse of taxpayers’ money for his party’s benefit.
If Najib needs to give out more handouts like BR1M, then it means that:
1. His Transformation agenda is not working at all and is all bullsh.t.
2. We are not heading towards a ‘high income’ society at all.
3. His is merely feeding 4 million households for a few days. He not teaching the people how to fish at all but to expect and depend on government handouts.
4. This BN government has no idea as to how to govern the country efficiently and effectively. It is all mumbo-jumbo-UMNo. It has a lot of gamblers, clowns and con-men in its ranks and is dangerous and needs to be kicked out quickly.
The headlines for the Budget in the mass media to me is FRIGTHENING!! The Star reads ‘Its time for the Middle-Class’. The NST reads ‘something for EVERYONE’..etc.
SINCE WHEN IS IT A GOOD THING FOR THE GOVT TO SUBSIDISE EVERYONE??? Since when is it a good thing that ONLY THE RICH can stand ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET – AND we are a country where MANY MANY RICH ARE SUBSIDIZED i.e., even the rich can’t stand on their own too feet!!!!
WE ARE A COUNTRY GONE MAD WITH ENTITLEMENT..Everyone feels entitled to be ‘helped’..WE HAVE MADE DEPENDENCY SHAMELESS…
Not only that. Politically speaking it dont make sense to me. Why is Najib Adminstration clawing after the urban middle class votes in his last major policy move that he has been losing since the start of his strategy when he took over the office so very close to GE-13? It has all the signs of a confused plan that just don’t know what it is doing..
What in the name of GOD, can a man in all names invoke the name of ALLAH, to justify the misdeeds and wrong-doings for the past 50 odd years of oppressive, dictatorial and tyrannical EVIL UMNO-BN regime, to CHEAT, beguile and live-off to feed on the poor working masses, literally sucking the miserable slaves blood for the next 10 generations, so that the Ruling-ELITES is able to monopolize the food-chain!
GODDAMN! What a life! Barrack Obama, a black man of African descendents can be the President of America! Can a non-Malay be the PM one fine day in the near-distant future? Or maybe even a deputy PM for starters?
One life man! Will we still desire for our children and the next generations to be taken for aride for the next coming 50 years?
We ARE the cause of it all! Blame yourselves and your fore-fathers for being subservient and Bloody-Suckers for UMNO-BN’s promises and LIES after LIES!
Quote and Unquote Nazri Aziz: Typical abused, battered and still refuse to DEMAND for divorce wives!?
YOU deserve the Govt YOU voted for! Serves YOU RIGHT!
“Tolerance has it’s limits – Played-Out Citizens!”
http://cruzinthots.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-are-cause-of-it-all.html
All the goodies given out by Najib cannot make Malaysians forget the real reasons to vote for a change.
As long as rouges and thieves…murderers are walking freely.
As long as Malaysians are being looked upon as stupid fellas…where so many umno B guys can become multi millions without working….no amount of goodies given out will convince voters to support present Govt.
The hypocrisy..and shameless behaviors are unbelievable.