'It would be better if Pakatan can address the reasons why inflation is rampant viz a viz corruption and how the BN government robs the poor.'

Shadow budget to rein in high cost of living

Tkc: Pakatan Rakyat's ‘Prosperity For All' budget is impressive, but the challenge is to disseminate the information to the rural community.

Considering that rural folks do not like to read, I suggest that the main points of the budget be translated into cartoons with simple messages and captions.

Dhammika: A caring budget sounds good on paper. Pakatan Rakyat, please give the details of how you are going to disburse that gigantic amount and where you are going to get that money. Please go to the rakyat and explain how realistic this is.

Boldboy: This is truly becoming a welfare state with zero increase in productivity. Thumbs down. Poor effort.

One minute Tony Pua says it's efficiency we are focussing on, the next, we have a bigger and heavier government.

There is no mechanism to review government procurement processes. Where is the transparency mechanism?

Wfworker: Obviously, Pakatan does not have sufficient data to present more detailed projections; however if Selangor and Penang budgeting reflect what they can do at federal level, then Malaysians can expect more positive results from them than BN.

Kgen: If we cut away the wasteful government spending it is a wonder how much can be saved.

Hanyayangbenar: To expect Pakatan to come out with alternative Budget that will address all the weaknesses and together with workable solutions in all aspects of governance might be unrealistic.

This alternative Budget needs to be announced with sweeteners first as the masses are only interested in what they will get out of it.

This is important to ensure that the majority of Malaysians will vote Pakatan in next GE, and it's only when Pakatan in power that they can carry out real changes.

MatrixLYN: Nice, but is it realistic? Giving money is not the solution, what is needed is action to keep inflation down.

But setting minimum wages is a right move; in fact, I think it's too low, it should be RM1,500. And what about the private sector, does minimum wages apply? If not, then it's only a half solution.

Anonymous_rgbzwk: I think it is workable once the various existing leakages, corruption and wastage are plugged.

Instead of the money being siphoned out of the country to enrich the collapsing overseas countries, give it to the ordinary people; we are more likely to spend it in the country.

Once the country is managed well and the people's skills are enhanced, the middle class will have the confidence to keep their assets here and FDIs (foreign direct investments) will also flow in.

We can then be more competitive than China, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc, and the tiger will roar again.

Dan Guliano: I believe it's a tenable budget as without the customary leakages, corruption and abuse of power under the BN government, not only will revenue increase but the rakyat will get their money's worth for every Pakatan government's spending, thereby government coffers will go further.

Just look at how much the cash reserves has accumulated under Pakatan in Selangor compared to Selangor under BN.

Given a choice between Khalid Ibrahim and Mohd Khir Toyo or Noh Omar, who would you entrust your money with?

20121221Disaster: If these can be implemented (I think it can be implemented when corruption had been curbed), the internal consuming force will be tremendously increased in comparison to if the money had only fallen into a few rich people's hands.

The economic cycle will become very active and mobile when there is a huge spending force, and the country will boom. This is a basic principle of economics that the Umno clown-experts will not have the capacity to understand.

Baiyuensheng: It does not sound sustainable to me. There are estimated 1.5 million seniors aged 65 and above. This alone translates to RM1.5 billion annually.

In all, the total annual budget in welfare alone would cost us around RM23.55 billion every year. That is RM833 per person annually.

The revenue for 2010 was only RM149 billion. The handouts constitute 16 percent of our revenue. Our budget will surely burst, and this does not even include the Malay agenda.

Gen2indian: Although its good to hear of the (cash) goodies to be handed out to the lower income group, it doesn't really give long-term solutions to the problems plaguing the country and sounds too much like what BN would do to gain support.

It would be better if Pakatan can address the reasons why inflation is rampant viz a viz corruption, the IPPs (independent power producers), tolls, APs (approved permits) and a dozen other ways the BN government robs the poor.

Stop looking for brownie points and address the real issues.

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