It is now the national budget month. Like other concerned citizens and organisations, we in Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan (Patriot) would like to give our input.
Veterans, men and women who have served in the Armed Forces and Royal Malaysian Police, are a special breed of people.
From the start, the selection process was tough with many unsuccessful applications and high drop out rate. Those that succeed also face a high risk of injury or even death.
They serve with all their physical and mental strength, with their trained able bodies, throughout their prime years. They sacrificed their own freedom and family.
Many retire young and left to cope on their own. Some made it through retraining and skills acquired during their service.
The majority continue to fade despite their heads held high. They only ask for one thing - that they are not forgotten.
The Statistics Department reported a year-on-year inflation rate of 4.3 percent in September.
Our official reports often mention core inflation rate, which omits the inclusion of consumer price index (CPI) for food items, fuel and travel. Food, fuel and travel expenses can usually spike, causing fast-rising inflation rate.
The six percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue may surpass RM42 billion this year giving some relief to the country's coffers.
No one can escape this tax and it compounds the pinch already felt from fast-rising inflation, especially in food items and travel expenses.
Patriots are of the opinion that the GST was implemented at an inappropriate time when our economy was not doing well.
When the GST was implemented in April 2015, it was right in the middle of an oil and commodities price slump. Local businesses were squeezed.
Patriots do not want to sound ridiculous by asking the GST be withdrawn. However, what the government can and should do, is to immediately identify and plug all economic leakages. Immediately cut down on all wastage.
The Prime Minister's Department (PMD) was allocated RM 260.8 billion in Budget 2017. What's such a humongous sum for?
Surely the tasks undertaken by the PMD and the different agencies within could be handled by the various ministries. Duplication and overlapping roles are certainly a waste.
Our national debt in 2016 was RM 908.7 billion, or 53.2 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). Two-thirds of it is in foreign currencies. This does not look good with our depreciating ringgit.
We are genuinely concerned that our children, comprising Generation Y and Z, who can barely afford to buy their own house, would be made to bear the debt burden.
With fast-rising public and personal debts and a depreciating currency, our economy is sitting on a shaky tectonic plate. As such, the veterans are even more concerned that they will be forgotten.
Requests for veterans
For this coming national budget, Patriots would like followings reviewed or implemented:
1. Pension for the older retirees to be at par with the new retirees. Needless to say, this is because of the difference in pay scale over time.
2. All veterans, both officers and other ranks, be given pension when they leave the service but quantum if based on length of service.
3. Public transport - a special pass for veterans to ride on public rail and road transport owned by the government or government-linked companies (GLC) at a token price of RM10 per annum.
4. A food stamp of RM 100 a month for the hardcore poor veterans. This is necessary due to the fast-rising food price inflation.
5. A substantial discount based on household income to be given for electricity and water bills.
6. GLCs to allocate at least 10 percent of their human resources to veterans and former police officers below the age of 60.
7. Former Armed Forces Affairs Corporation (Perhebat) should not just conduct resettlement courses for veterans, but also be responsible to ensure veterans with low pension secure a job or business upon retirement.
Patriot wishes to see the government recognise the sacrifices of the veterans and the ex-police officers in defending and maintaining the independence of this country.
