VOXPOP 'The premier does not trust all the cabinet ministers except those in the mini-cabinet of the PM's Dept, thus the bigger budget needed.'
PM's Dept's huge budget justified, says Idris Jala
OMG!!: Since the ruling elite likes to compare Malaysia with developed countries, do the equivalent Prime Minister's Departments of these countries also have the lion's share of their countries' expenditure?
PS: It looks to me like there is a mini-government within the government. The premier does not trust all the cabinet ministers except those in the mini-cabinet of the PMD, thus the bigger budget needed (RM16.45 billion).
Haveagreatday: Of all people, Minister in the PM's Department Idris Jala, is trying to defend the indefensible. Just look at the White House operating expenditure for comparison.
Ferdtan: "PM's Department huge budget is justified," says Idris Jala. Obviously he has to say that as all his expenses are covered by the PMD (Prime Minister's Department).
The Mask: My dear Idris, Jesus cried unto God "Why have you forsaken me?" Now I am asking you why have you forsaken your fellowmen, especially your own brethren? Do you realise that you are a changed person?
Odin: Idris Jala, seeing how you have conducted yourself and reading your statements made on the Court of Appeal's judgment on the ‘Allah' matter and the withholding of The Herald in Sabah last week, you would defend anything Najib does, which, of course, includes keeping you and paying you your fat salary.
No, don't misunderstand me. I don't envy you and your salary. I am living comfortably, thank you very much.
Even my dogs eat better than many people. And I am only stating a fact, not boasting. It is obvious to many of us out here that money and position can do strange things to some people.
Bamboo: Idris Jala, please quit as apologist for the BN government. It's not good for your dignity. No matter how good your sales pitch is, we won't buy it.
Kee Thuan Chye: There are too many departments under the PMD. For one, and the most obvious one, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should be cut loose.
And Biro Tatanegara (BTN) should be scrapped.
The Election Commission (EC) should also be made independent. The trouble is, the prime minister wants to control things, so he brings them under his ‘Big Brother' nose.
LifeFlier: How about this, we want to see Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak defend his justification in Parliament and it must be a live telecast.
'Shoddy sugar deal by gov't caused price hike'
Onyourtoes: Just allow unrestricted import of sugar by different players and the price of sugar will take care of itself.
Why the need for the government to sign the agreement and bear all the risks (and the subsidy) when it is private companies that are enjoying profits without risks.
Tycoon Robert Kuok enjoyed this for many years and now it is Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary's turn. You think these businessmen are so lucky?
Bamboo: This is the difference in quality between BN and Pakatan politicians. DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua pointed out what had turned out to be true - that the world sugar price would come down.
However, the former deputy international trade and industry minister defended the hedge (buying raw sugar at US$26 per 100 pounds for three years from 2012), probably without doing any analysis of his own. A gem contrasted with a stone.
Oomph: Hedging requires accumulating years of experience and knowledge on that specific trade. Unlike roti bakar (toast) today you learn, tomorrow you can do it.
Wsoi: It used to be RM1.00 = S$1.00, Now RM2.50 = S$1.00. It used to be South Korea GDP = 1/3 Malaysia GDP, now South Korea GDP = three times Malaysia GDP.
We don't have talented people in the government. Yet some politicians say we are a model economy to the world. People may lie, but not figures. I just don't know when Malaysians will learn to be smarter than politicians.
Commentable: "Let me remind you that the government is smart," said the cocky then deputy minister of international trade and industry Mukhriz Mahathir.
Not half as "smart" as what his father, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who made Malaysia gamble on the foreign exchange during his tenure as the premier.
With a pat on his own back, this young fry reckons that this ‘sugary' episode is peanuts compared to that mother of all deals, which nearly bankrupted the nation.
Kee Thuan Chye: I think Tony Pua should be our finance minister. He's smart, he knows his stuff. He'll manage our economy better. We can't let Najib and his goons continue to make wretched deals and cause us to lose money.
Oldman57: More importantly, again no one was held accountable for the shoddy sugar deal. And they can go on making/creating problems for the rakyat to "enjoy".
Ex-PJ: Sorry folks, more bad news on the way. The forthcoming goods and services tax (GST) collection will require the hiring of more incompetent government servants and the construction of office space to house them.
To collect GST from small businesses, I am quite sure the GST enforcement officers will have numerous creative ways to line their pockets.
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