YOURSAY | ‘No point in raising salaries when costs of goods keep rising.’

Govt working on slight salary raise for civil servants - PM

PurpleDove6067: It is good and satisfying to get a raise in salary. There will be money in the pocket. Yes, people feel good and happy. But very quickly the increase is eaten up by the ever-increasing cost of living.

What about controlling the costs of housing, food, transport, and education, among other things? The creation of jobs, skills training, and finally, the body must be healthy, and strong and the mind must be positive.

There must exist the willingness to work and strive. Can the government, the biggest revenue earner in the country does something transformational? The people are crying. Dysfunction at the human level and at the government level must be also tackled.

Misallocation and inefficient management of government money and time will cause hardship to the greater population. The elites can take care of themselves but the majority is in dire straits. The political leadership must act.

NoobMaster69: The company will invest in the worker, and send them for courses so that they will be trained properly in their work. Once trained, these workers will be paid the right amount according to their qualifications.

Many years ago, the chief executive of Apple Tim Cook gave a reason why they have factories in China rather than elsewhere. It's not because China is cheap, they are not cheap now but because their workers are highly trained. They are paying for the skills that Indian or Indonesian workers do not possess.

Why does Perikatan Nasional want to take over the government? Because they know that the unity government can solve problems like salaries. When they do manage to solve it, PN will not cease to exist anymore.

PN knows they will never have the abilities and capabilities to do any changes to the Malaysian economy. Just take a good look at Kelantan and you will know.

It is too late for PN already. Their best economist (Bachok MP Syahir Sulaiman who recently debated with Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli) has already shown us that he is nothing but an empty, fancy, shell.

None of them can come up with a solution to increase salaries for the private sector. PN seems to do nothing more than just give free handouts. If PN rules, we will be like Venezuela in no time.

GreenFalcon2290: The easiest way is to put a tax on exceptional profits and place the full amount in the fund for worker wages. I am astonished that such a simple solution eludes the “two heaven-sent gifts” to the country, Anwar Ibrahim and Rafizi Ramli.

What about doing something about the endless raids on immigrants and the daily harassment with bribes demanded that millions of them are under threat? There appears to be complete silence from the gifted duo, to speak nothing about the human resource and home ministers.

There seems to be no effort made to get natives to work. Which other nation in the world has a foreign population of over 20 percent doing basic labour? Not one is the answer.

Observer10: Please raise the salaries of health care providers. How can a new doctor’s basic salary be in the range of only RM2,974, which is lower than a fresh graduate’s salary? The same goes for nurses’ salaries. Private hospitals pay nurses salaries, of at least RM500 more.

Mosquitobrain: Have you been to a government hospital for treatment? Just compare the hospital charges with private clinics, hospitals, or specialist hospitals. Of course, they are much higher. That's how they can afford to pay higher salaries to the nurses, compared to those in government hospitals.

Count yourself lucky as our government hospitals are equipped with the best and most up-to-date facilities, yet treatment and medicine costs, are among the cheapest compared to many developed countries.

PurpleGropher1703: This is subsidy mentality and “makan gaji buta” (rent seekers) leadership. How to progress? Please plan on how to clear the national debt instead of borrowing and putting everyone's “cucu” (grandchildren) into a life of debt.

There should be savings and investment, education, and hard work. The older generation says, work hard, play later, bitter first then sweet. The current generation, however, is being corrupted by useless leaders dishing out freebies for short-term gain, at the expense of future growth. Pathetic.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.