Monday, October 24, 2016

NOT a Budget for "monkeys"

But a big, tacit NOD for KJ
Kuala Lumpur, 24 Oct: 16 YEARS at the Business Times, I think I've covered my fair share of the Federal government's annual Budget sessions in Parliament. 
One chore was to try and "label" each Budget in order to simplify or capture its essence for the busy readers. 
The most overused till this day has to be "the people's Budget" (and its variations "a budget for all/everyone/rakyat etc). 
At the height of his power (over the media bosses, at least), Anwar Ibrahim described his own Budget "a caring Budget". 
At the height of his, Dr Mahathir Mohamad officially changed Belanjawan, the old Bahasa Malaysia word for Budget, to Bajet

I think Ibrahim Ali was spot on to call Najib Razak's 2017 Budget tabled last Friday Bajet roti dan keju (bread and butter Budget). There's quite a lot for civil servants and those in the bottom 40 per cent of the salary scale. What I don't understand is why the Perkasa chief was so unhappy with the fact that Najib is trying to ensure that the people's welfare is made a priority in these trying times. As former banker and Cabinet Minister Abdul Wahid Omar pointed out, this has got to be one of the most challenging Budgets that Najib has had to prepare, given the limited financial resources and the sluggish world economy. 

My circle of friends wanted me to thank the PM specifically for:


The bikers have complained about the bike lanes for years and many had actually given up hope that something would actually be done. I hope the relevant authorities have bicyclists in mind, too, when upgrading those lanes. A lot more cyclists are using those narrow lanes these days ...

The gadget-laden kids, meanwhile, are grateful about this:

For their assignments, of course,
not for anime and those silly computer games

There are actually a lot of little things for the small people in the Budet. That's why Wahid calls it "a people-centric responsible Budget", I suppose.  
But the "monkeys" won't know it, said social media journalist Ahmad Cendana  on his Facebook, in reference to Opposition politicians who had staged a walkout during Najib's Budget speech. 

“Monkeys – that’s a harsh word to use, but it is well justified in this case. Come to think of it their actions are a good thing. They have inadvertently exposed themselves to their supporters as to what they really are. A bunch of uncouth empty barrels without much substance. So these are the people who are being promoted to replace the present government?” - Malaysians still disgusted over MPs' budget storm out  The Mole 23 Oct

Khairy Jamaluddin, the Youth and Sports Minister, has a billion reasons to be happy.  
The RM1.2 billion allocation made by the PM in his 2017 Bajet is the biggest yet for sports. All those years covering the Budget, we business journalists were never really interested in how much was going to be spent on sports. That's probably because we are were a nation of losers when it comes to sports. Not anymore In the past year alone, we have produced Paralympic gold medallists and Olympic silver and bronze medallists. Latest, we are now world dodgeball champions
But more money for sports aside, it is the tacit approval that PM Najib has given the Minister, who is also the Umno/BN Youth chief, that's caught my eye. Wasn't that long ago when KJ was deemed "not yet ready" whereas Mukhriz Mahathir, who had just lost to KJ in the contest for the Umno Youth leadership, was made a Deputy Minister, many said in deference to his dad!
Today, like it or not, you have to admit that KJ has done an excellent job, indeed. You don't have to like his politics but if he continues to perform and his Boss continues to have faith in him, it could only mean that he is poised for bigger things in the government and the party. 
There are vacancies for Umno vice presidency that need to be filled, urgently!


p.s. In the Budget, the Prime Minister has also given KJ the responsibility of spearheading the TN50, the new 30-year vision for Malaysia that will replace Mahathir's Vision 2020. 

5 comments:

  1. Salam Dato Rocky.

    "In the Budget, the Prime Minister has also given KJ the responsibility of spearheading the TN50, the new 30-year vision for Malaysia that will replace Mahathir's Vision 2020."

    Just in case you and your PM have fogotten... in Mac.2009 UMNO Election... the whole of PWTC was roaring with KJ Rasuah, KJ Rasuah, KJ Rasuah.
    And that was also when you are embroiled in a dispute with Pak Lah & Tingkat 4,... your home, raided and your laptop confiscated by the MCMC/Police.

    So you think a leopard can change it spots... so easily.

    Here is another reminder ...

    "Mar 22, 2016 - KUALA LUMPUR: The senior government official allegedly involved in embezzling RM100 million from the Youth and Sports Ministry has been transferred out of the ministry. Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told reporters today that the 56-year-old official had been transferred. "I was informed by the Chief Secretary to the Government (Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa) that we can apply for him to be transferred. "Pursuant to that, I have asked the ministry secretary-general to write to the Public Services Department for him to be issued with 'perintah tahan kerja' (interdiction order) under Regulation 43 of the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993. "So what that means is that he has been transferred out of the ministry although he is under remand.
    Regulation 43 stipulates that an officer under probe for a criminal offence can be interdicted for the purpose of the investigation but will still be entitled to his or her salary."

    Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/03/134446/youth-and-sports-ministry-official-under-investigation-transferred-out-video

    It had been 7 month since then and he is still be paid by the taxpayers?
    Now... this is definitely not good for the 'integrity of our system' if the gomen keep dragging it feet on the case.

    I sure hope that the recent RM112 million bust, by MACC in Sabah would not suffer the cold- storage fate too. In contrast... Khir Toyo & Guan Eng's case are... peanuts.

    PS... at least I still believe gomen's mouthpiece, so I quote NST... not MM, MK or RPK.

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  2. xnakdedak11:10 am


    KJ is a shameless opportunist who will switch sides in a heartbeat.

    Does that remind me of someone?

    Hmmmmm...

    *krik krik krik*

    Anyway, some folks do have a moral conscience:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=152&v=0uMi5IEVjFM

    Inhabitants of Kota Belud or Puchong can always apply for exemption from this whole moral conscience thing, of course.

    Whoops, already done?

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  3. 29 millions for federal highways motorcycle lane???
    A new elevated highways for motorcycles kan? or undergrounds lane?
    29 millions for motorcycle lanes.... unbelievable.

    ReplyDelete
  4. xnakdedak8:21 pm


    MO1 - Monkey Odour 1

    Yes, there's the vile odour of Bugis monkey over everything that involves $$$$$$.


    ReplyDelete
  5. Cash is king7:52 am

    Double the speed of the internet not widen it to lot of rural area which not even covered by streamyx. Dont think about unifi.

    Double the internet speed but blocked sites that didnt praise najib as the humble prime minister.

    Double the internet speed but cut lof of subsidies.

    Is that what really needed by the people of malaysia?

    ReplyDelete