Boxing Day

Puchong, 26 Dec: It's sad to see Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad turned into a national punching bag on Boxing Day. But he's only got himself to blame. He had told Malaysians in a Christmas message that accepting handouts under the aid initiated by  PM Najib Razak is a form of bribery and is, therefore, illegal. 

Some 7 million Malaysians in the lower-income categories qualify for the cash assistance under BR1M. They started enjoying the supplementary cash scheme after Najib became Prime Minister in 2009.

The Malaysiakini/Sinar Harian report  

Salleh Said Keruak, a constant pain in Mahathir's butt since the Old Man decided to bring down Najib Razak, speaks for those silent 7 million and perhaps for many other Malaysians as well. 

"Never before have we heard something more mind-boggling," he wrote in his latest posting, Are you serious, Mahathir?   

Other government leaders, including Johari Abdul Ghani, Abdul Rahman Dahlan and Khairy Jamaluddin, have come out swinging at Mahathir.  

"Absolute nonsense," said KJ, who tweeted that cash transfers are an accepted economic program around the world . 

"And yet people still believe (Mahathir's) claptrap". 

It is a fact. Singapore has practised cash transfers for years. Latest, the Saudis are planing to do so next year. Read h e r e.

Read also Mahathir has rolled out similar welfare aid scheme like BR1M.