Election Budget 2012, government plans to play the role of Father Christmas to just dish out presents. The difference is, well, they don't look like him, though they do have big tummies (must be filling themselves up with loads of Malaysian delicacies while the middle class, and definitely the poor class people struggle to make a living in this country). Great life right?, to be a one of the cronies for UMNO and Barisan, (Well, it's actually just UMNO, Barisan is just the 'also-rans'). Let's get down to business.
From an education perspective, one of the things they have done, (referring to the GOV) is that they have abolished school fees, yes, which interestingly vary from one school to another mainly because the Education Ministry just DOES NOT have control over the school, (not really my opinion, but the Deputy Prime Minister, also the Edu Minister said this in an interview recently, though obviously not directly). As far as I know, school fees comes up to about RM 70, or 67.50 to be exact (inclusive of exams fees, school magazines and a bunch of other stuff that are forced onto students, so much for DEMOCRACY right?).
Well, that now means students will no longer have to pay the fees, though it will not affect parents who have a couple, or three children, though those who have upwards of five will have benefited more. Moreover, they have now given out RM 100 to each student, from Standard 1 right up to Form 4. That's what I meant by Santa Claus, but the difference with the guy who bears the beard is that he's nice, and not for the short term so to speak. He comes back every year, unlike the UMNO buffoons who wear the red suit when Elections are approaching. Let me break it down to 'bite-sized' pieces.
In case people did not notice, the RM 100 'gift' to students all around the country is a one-off, will not be repeated next year, well unless of course miraculously Elections are held every year. This 'gift' is meant to ease the burden of parents to buy school uniforms for their children as well as other basic necessities. That's what they say on paper la.
The question is, if you are really intent on helping the parents, then why does the GOV label these gifts as one-off's? Why not make it annual if they really have the people's well-being at heart? Or maybe they don't, and this is just a scam, or rather a payment to maybe........ get votes? Sorry if I burst the imaginary balloon that many people have about the government being very nice, wonderful and kind-hearted.
In schools, parents were required to be present with their children to receive the RM 100, and the only reason I could think of that such a move be required is so that these parents will see that the government is indeed being nice, and 'helping' the people. I got no qualms about people taking the money, it does in fact belong to them. The sad part is that I witnessed numerous people who were so happy and actually saying that the Government is very good, very caring and so on. Look at the details which make up the bigger picture, RM 100 for a duration of about 4 to 5 years? (I say 4 to 5 because that's how often a GE is held) Now if you look at it, is it much of a help?
I hope that people are able to look beyond, and not what is in front of them. That is the biggest problem in this country. We experience short-lived joys but suffer in the long run. It's better to want something you don't have than to have something you don't want. With all these moves on the chess board, it is indeed evident that the GE is around the corner. This move has not even been approved by Parliament, but the GOV has gone ahead with their plan, so it is actually illegal. But what the heck, the GOV is above the law right?, though they'll never admit it in a million years. The only option is the ballot box, and even that is not a certainty with all the dirty money politics and so on. It's time to Lock & Load, before we're locked up and can't do anything about it.
Jay Jay Denis
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