By M Santhananaban
This week, the prime minister, gushing with the “Madani” (civil and compassionate) mantra, made a phenomenal announcement.
Every adult Malaysian citizen above 18 qualifies for a one-time RM100 credit for essential items from 31 August to the end of 2025.
This means every citizen gets the same benefit – whether they are a banker, beggar, billionaire, brothel operator, bureaucrat or businessperson.
Malaysian identity card holders who live abroad also qualify. But many of them are unlikely to return home before the validity period ends to claim this money.
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The reason for this unprecedented handout is not explained. But for those enduring financial hardship or are living in hardcore poverty, that hundred ringgit would make some difference.
For the rest of the population, this sudden and small act of generosity would be a source of some concern rather than consolation. There will certainly be curiosity and contention about this handout, which, as the prime minister explained, was an act of “appreciation”.
The accepted assumption follows that upright, law-abiding, tax-paying, loyal and patriotic citizens should not be taken for granted.
But these loyal, upright and patriotic citizens can also form a major segment of the loyal opposition that the government needs in a democracy and has to contend with.
They will be drawn into discussions about the peculiarity, pettiness and timing of this token of appreciation and the extra holiday being given on 15 September.
Some analysts will attribute all kinds of reasons, including atrocious ones, for this handout.
Public analysis of these two costly billion-ringgit concessions and the costly lowering of the Ron 95 petrol price (from RM2.05 per litre to RM1.99) at a time when the government faces its highest debt-servicing obligations. This analysis will be extended and exasperating.
Yes, the state must recognise, reward and remember model citizenry. Yet why should the government be so naive as to reward the recalcitrant, repeat traffic offender, concealer of ill-gotten wealth, suspected corrupt official, the remote-control drug overlord, tax evader and other shady characters who are implicated in criminal activities and white-collar crime?
Deprived, discriminated public sector retirees
It is also puzzling and preposterous that the government which has repeatedly delayed its obligation to pay public sector employees who retired before January 2013 the appropriate pension, yet is now providing this handout. Had it been targeted to assist the hardcore poor, no one would complain.
As it stands, fat cats and well-off people will receive this charade of generosity that suggests our public finances are sound.
The convicted sixth prime minister of the country, in collusion with the top levels of bureaucracy, including a former chief secretary to the government, had no business meddling with the Pension Act 1980 and reducing the benefits it contained.
Almost every day, we hear of pensioners who retired before 2013 passing away. Is there no urgency to restore their rightful pension?
This RM100 handout, the extra holiday and the reduction of Ron 95 prices suggests something fishy, flawed and confusing.
No one should be penalised or punished for having such misgivings about this seemingly generous altruism from the government.
The question remains: what is behind this gesture, gimmick or giveaway?
Dato’ M Santhananaban is a retired ambassador with over 45 years of public sector experience.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
While I appreciate the intention of PMX in giving RM100, I personally think that the billions spent could have been spent on more meaningful ways.
The Government could have used the money to start a National Health Insurance Scheme where all Malaysians could have had the opportunity to free quality medical treatment. Although, medical treatment is virtually free now at public hospitals, more improvement could have been made, especially in some of the hospital wards in the country.
Secondly, the money could have been used to develop a food ecosystem completely along the value chain, incorporating R&D, integrated farming, manufacturing, development of food cooperatives, logistics and marketing and distribution.
I would rather see a more conceited effort of continuously getting sustainable progress for the poor by getting the elected parliamentary representatives to reduce their over inflated monthly allowances as a good gesture to sustain this MADANI effort and if the PM has volunteering to forgo his salary, this is a wonderful gesture on his part