Shahrir : Kita bukan negara kaya (kononnya…)

KUALA LUMPUR 11 Jun – Kerajaan terpaksa mengambil langkah tidak popular dengan menaikkan harga petrol sehingga 40 peratus demi memastikan kehidupan rakyat tidak terjejas pada masa akan datang.

Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad berkata, semua pihak harus sedar dalam fenomena kenaikan harga minyak dunia yang kini hampir mencecah AS$140 setong, bebanan kewangan negara turut bertambah.

”Apa yang berlaku ini, seluruh dunia turut menerima kesan termasuk Malaysia. Kita bukanlah sebuah negara yang kaya, jadi mahu tidak mahu kita perlu berhemah dalam menguruskan kewangan kita.

”Oleh itu, kerajaan terpaksa juga menaikkan harga petrol sehingga 78 sen dan harga diesel RM1. Ini bukannya satu keputusan yang popular tetapi kita terpaksa juga melakukannya kerana kita merupakan kerajaan yang bertanggungjawab,” kata Shahrir.

What is wrong with this fella? He thinks he can hoodwink us easily? I have proof that what he said is a lie through and through. They are;

1. Launching of economic corridors totalling a trillion ringgit.

2. Spent a billion ringgit on Monsoon Cup and Crystal Mosque.

3. Bought/lease a private airbus costing millions.

4. The PM has a house in Perth costing millions of Aussie dollars.

5. Organising expensive lavish ‘soiree’ in Seri Perdana just for fun’s sake (unheard of in previous administration)

6. More than a billion ringgit was paid to compensate the cancellation of the Scenic Bridge; more than the cost of actually building it.

7. Has millions of ringgit to buy a yacht in Turkey.

8. Ministers and deputy ministers in Malaysia are rich; 10% cut of their allowance can save up to RM2 billion. Imagine if they cut it 100%? We can save RM20 billion! RM20 billion per year just to pay their entertainment allowances? We sure is a rich country…

9. Renovating Seri Perdana costing millions of ringgit. Bear in mind that Seri Perdana is off limits to public since 2005. Shhhh… Be quiet. Sultan Abdullah is sleeping.

10. Didn’t bat an eyelid when we sold MV Agusta for only €1.

11. Wang Ehsan totalling RM7 billion ringgit went to Terengganu. But had Terengganu really benefitted from it?

So there you go Shahrir. Are you sure you were telling the truth? The fact is, this government had not been responsible with the nation’s wealth. And the rakyat are left paying the mistakes for Pak Lah’s mismanagement. Ministers making this kind of statement would only anger the public even more. Do not think the people are as stupid as before.

Update (5.15pm) : Here is what being read today;

Cukai pendapatan individu mungkin dikurangkan dalam Bajet 2009

PUTRAJAYA: Kerajaan mungkin mengurangkan cukai pendapatan individu dalam Bajet 2009 bagi meringankan beban rakyat berikutan peningkatan kos sara hidup akibat harga bahan api dan makanan yang tinggi.

Menteri Kewangan II, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, berkata kerajaan menerima banyak cadangan seumpama itu daripada pelbagai pihak dan akan memberi pertimbangan sewajarnya.

“Memang ada cadangan supaya kita kaji untuk mengurangkan cukai pendapatan, ada dan kita kena lihat sama ada ia dapat dilaksanakan dalam bajet kali ini,” katanya pada sidang media selepas sesi Konsultasi Bajet 2009 Bersama Kelab Ahli Parlimen Barisan Nasional (BNBBC) di sini, semalam.

Sesi itu dipengerusikan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

As I said earlier, this would be a deadly catch 22 situation. The income of the nation will be further reduced. Anyway, the big question is, how would a decrease in personal income tax will help the ordinary folks in Malaysia? People earning less than RM2,500 per month are already exempted from paying income tax. So there is no real change from their already shrunken pockets.

What they should do regarding this tax issue is to increase the personal income tax of the real rich people (say those earning more than RM30,000 per month) and strengthen the enforcement of income tax collection (to plug any leakages or any tax evasion/avoidance). Corporate tax should be lowered especially for manufacturing companies producing food products. Have they thought things through about reducing the personal income tax? I really hope so. If not, then they are really providing the wrong solution to a particular problem.