Monday, June 09, 2008

PM cuts 10% entertainment allowance

Contractors for government projects needs to entertain the consultants and clients.

Contractors lobbying for projects needs to entertain the 'Big Napoleons' and the Umno agents who acts to connect the connections and pay for all sorts of expenses.

But have you heard of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister paying for entertainment?

Who do they entertain?

Contractors? The citizens? Or the China dolls? Or the belly dancers?


Today, our Prime Minister announced a radical cost-cutting initiative to prove that the cabinet ministers will be squeezed.

Effective July 1, ministers and their deputies' entertainment allowances will be cut by 10 percent. (see chart)

That's a lot!!!

Now, PM's entertainment allowance is reduced by RM1,886.50 and DPM suffers a cut of RM1,501.50. That's a lot!!!

I felt sorry for PM and DPM who is going to suffer tremendously. They are sacrificing themselves in the interest of the rakyat.

Cabinet members will also see their annual all-expenses-paid holidays restricted with immediate effect.

Also included in the cost-cutting exercise as announced by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was a freeze on new employment (non essential positions) within the government, renovation work, asset acquisition (cars, computers, furniture, etc) and limited budgets for government functions.

Abdullah said the RM2 billion cost-cutting package was aimed at softening the blow after an unpopular 41 percent fuel price increase.

"With all the cuts the government is making, we are expecting to save RM2 billion annually," he said.

"I understand the suffering of the people and I hope these measures can help the people."

Abdullah, whose position is now even more tenuous after last week's overnight fuel price hike, defended the decision which has sparked protests and public outrage.

"Although the government does not want to burden the people, tough decisions have to be made because it has a duty to guarantee that natural resources are used in an optimum way, not just now but for future generations," he said.

"The government is now taking measures to reduce the difficulties that result from rising prices."



OMG, our Prime Minister truly understands the peoples' suffering and with these cost-cutting measures it will surely help the people a lot!

Dear PM, you are so kindhearted and so caring of the people; we love you so very very much!

BTW, can you also cut Dr Mahathir's allowance? He is not working but complaining, and worst off, he complains about you!

And since you said that you will be cutting all mega projects, do you still need the 4th floor boys? They will be of no use as they are in the project procurement agency and there's no more projects to sell?

Dear Mr. PM, will your Boeing Jet A319 and the Cobra Sultan Yacht be auctioned off too? Since you cared so much for the rakyat and worry so much about their sufferings, these personal perks should also be reduced and possibly, be eliminated, at least for the time being. You have work so hard and deserved something better than that. You should consider seeling it off now and when the economy is better and the crude oil price comes down to US$30, then you can buy a new one and a much bigger one.

Latest News!

When the Prime Minister was asked to comment on Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Samad's assurance that "prices will stay until March", Abdullah shook his head.

"We are still analysing this as the rise in world prices of oil is too quick (over the last few days)," said Abdullah.

Oil prices posted its biggest single-day hike last Friday when it rose nearly US$11 hitting a new record of US$138 a barrel in New York.

"When we did our assessment, the price of petrol was RM3. It is RM3.45 now.

"When it was RM3, we gave a 30-sen subsidy. But that has been wiped out now with a 45-sen increase. So there are many issues we have to consider.

"As such, I won't give any undertaking not to increase petrol prices," said Abdullah.

Source: Cash rebates from this Saturday

Datuk Shahrir, you betul betul Cakap Tak Serupa Bikin. One day you said the fuel price will only increased by August, and within the next day you immediately increased the price. Yesterday you said the price of fuel will hold at least until March09 and now we hear PM said he can't guarantee. Apa ini? The rakyat surely cannot believe you anymore, Datuk Shahrir!!! Pembohong!

23 comments:

sinkeh said...

"But have you heard of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister paying for entertainment?

Who do they entertain?

Contractors? The citizens? Or the China dolls? Or the belly dancers?"

THE DANGDUT GIRLS.

Anonymous said...

wah, his allowance more than my salary !!!!!

CaptainCaveman said...

All these cutting of entertainment and holidays allowances are just smokescreens. For all you know it is those contractors and big-time businessmen who 'entertain' them!

Believed all our ministers including PM and DPM had this disorder called AAADD - 'Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder' which I posted as a joke haha!

Seemed that all of them try to 'flip flop' all the things at the same time but ended up nothing get done and the best part is they don't 'remember'!!!

Maverick SM said...

Gongkaukau,

No dangdut girl lah; They very pious one!!!


Denzook,

Is it ah? Then you must ask for more salary.

CaptainCaveman,

No smokescreen lah. They pay also!!!

CaptainCaveman said...

They? Who? Pay what?

Sir, I'm out of touch

Anonymous said...

Cut my ass. For what? Another wayang.

They need to get rid of the toll robbers, water robbers, electricity robbers, and etc. In summary, they have to remove themselves, no? lol

Without good public transportation system, almost everyone will be screwed big time very soon.

Maverick SM said...

CaptainCaveman,

They also pay tips mah; at the bar!

Hasilox,

Cut petrol where got transport anymore? Now cut entertainment cost the Chinadoll is jobless.

CaptainCaveman said...

Mav, thanks for the tip :-)

Don't think those Chinadoll will be jobless, our ministers are very 'enterprising' and know how to recover these 'losses' haha!

CaptainCaveman said...

Hi Mav,

I am in favour of fuel subsidy withdrawal for long term benefits. Though this sudden and steep fuel hike would make other goods and food items more costly.

But I believed the main problem was the years of mismanagement of the country wealth. There are too many wastage and leakages.

Maverick SM said...

CaptainCaveman,

If you take the subsidy as a standalone issue for debate, I strongly agree with the withdrawal.

But the issue is not isolated. As the Bank Negara Governor said, for every US$1 increase in the price of crude oil, Malaysia stands to gain that $1 extra dollar.

Additionally, do remember that our govt imposed excessive tax on motor vehicles which in itself exceeded any form of subsidy.

Apart from these, there are high pillages, wastages, and burglaries within.

Geronimo said...

So now everything is cut, cut, cut. But there is one thing that they did not cut, the NEP, the mother of all subsidy programmes!!!

CK said...

i just wonder how long tis so-called savings is enough to cover all the pits dug and holes leaking from 50yrs of mismanagement...

mave,
maybe their dangdut girls very pious leh....

Jefus said...

i propose the government make public voluntary pay cuts - this is to show how committed they are to their idea.

show us the commitment! RM1k? peanutz!

Unknown said...

it doesn't matter if they cut 100% of their pay, their side income from contractors and lobbyist and companes that hire their coterie and family members as directors more than cover the cuts a billion times.

Anonymous said...

RM2 billion still money what. Good start, i wonder what other "goodies" in store for us rakyat. lol. But at least he is being sensitive to what has been siad by the people. Cant please anyone tho, but it is a good start.

And poor old Syahrir. Seems like everything he is saying is contradicting with AAB. Is he speaking for himself??

Anonymous said...

Those are the perks when one has power and status. Has anyone ever stoppped and thought, the new Pakatan leaders, will they be big headed too once they reach the top? People are merely humans, easily swayed. What more with politicians, these special set of people are another bunch, they aint no angels no matter what party. So so much so the BN is being bashed with so many ungrateful names, stop hailing the Pakatan Rakyat as saviours and angels.

warrior2 said...

These measures are for starters!

They are MPs and they entertain their constituents I suppose. Orang mau kawin, minta derma, mau pi new year time sekolah minta derm, anak bini sakit, minta derma.

It all adds up you know.

famil said...

eh, their base salaries + car allowances + housing allowances + etc stay kah?

out of RM40K per month they got, only less RM600 after this 'cost savings activities'.

What a mockery...

Maverick SM said...

Billy,

There is no more NEP, Billy; only that the objectives are still implemented with subjective privileges.

CK,

It is calcified within and nothing can change the way it is managed.

Jefus,

You have a good suggestion; the govt will be asking the civil servants to voluntarily have pay cuts; the ministers are giving moral support.

Sorindian,

You may be right; but they have to pretend to live on this income and that a 10% cut is painful.

Sandyow,

$2bil is definitely good money. The fuel subsidy reduction will save $35b and it is hell of a good money. But do you remember the previous savings of $4b? It's nowhere!!!

Farzain,

I tend to agree with you that PR leaders may also be big-headed when they get into power; that being said, it is still synthetically intuitive; however, BN pigheadedness and abrasive arrogance are empirical representations and sufficiently evidential.

Warrior2,

If orang mau kawin minta derma and that donations are paid by the Cabinet Ministers, that's no more a donation; it's taxpayers money! Taking taxpayers money and using it as personal donation is atrocious and against Islamic principles. My goodness, that's what we often said about using the buttock skin as your facial skin.

Famil,

The mockery is that they did not have pay cut; it's entertainment allowance had been reduced by 10%; and the fuel subsidy is 40% reduction; and none of the ministers pay for their fuel as they use govt vehicles.

warrior2 said...

SM, you didnt understand me.

BTW, ministers have their own private cars too and they use them and pay for the fuel.

Maverick SM said...

Warrior2,

I accept that Ministers have their own private cars and they pay for their own fuel.

But we are discussing on the topic of entertainment allowance and your point of derma to kawan should be come from this allowance.

Purple~MushRooM said...

Hahahaha! You are so funny... are you angry or what?

Somehow.. whenever I surf your page, I get cut off from the internet. Is there something in your blog that the chinese government do not allow their people to read?

Maverick SM said...

Purple~Mushroom,

Which part indicates I was angry? Puzzled!!!!

Maybe China don't allow my blog to be viewed as they may consider it to be seditious....but I don't know.