Shazmi againts the world

It is reported in a local daily, that one of our Senior Minister has only been to the Parliament 19 times in 6 years…Yup, 19 times only !!!!!

This has come as a shock to many Malaysians including me. I always thought that the responsibility of the elected MPs is to represent his/her constituency by engaging in intellectual discourse ( though I don’t think there’s much of it anymore) and informing the parliament on the needs of the people that he/she represents. Imagine, how cheated the voters of that area must feel, now that they know the rep that they chose has falied in its duties. 

Looking into a bigger perspective, I think this indirectly fails democracy. Democracy is not only based on the principal of electing one among the many in a majority voice but its also about the rep that was chosen to represent the people who elected him/her in the parliament/senate/ congress etc I think this is indeed a slap on the face of the voters who play their part in the democracy process but are left short changed by the attitude of the Senior Minister.

I’ve even come up with a more interesting theory :

6 years : 19 times

Average per year : 3 times

Out of the 3 times, once is surely for Budget Setting and once is surely for the opening of the parliament. That makes an average of 1 time per year. Now explain to me rationally, how does a MP represents his/her people by being in the parliament only once in a year ???? Irrelevant, whether the MP is a Senior Minister or not, I think that’s not the issue. The person should feel responsible enough to come to the parliament and play an active role. If the person doesn’t, then how does one justify getting the allowance that all MPs get ? Those allwances are of tax payers’ money. Justify that !!!

Well, we all know who the person in question is. I like you MADAM Senior Minister, I think you’ve done a good job in your portfolio. On the current hot issue that you are facing, I think its a bloody screw up from your Ministry and yourself but once again, I don’t think you’re the only one to be blame. I’m sure the Cabinet was well aware of the happenings unless you informed us that you don’t report to your superiors / cabinet or your cabinet/superiors do not give a damn what your Ministry does. Either way, you are not the only one to be blame !!!

I seriously see the setting of the sun on one of our longest serving Minister in the cabinet…for better or worse… Good luck Rafidah !

Today, the PM who’s also the Finance Minister will be presenting the Budget 2006. It’s indeed an important exercise not only to shape Govt fiscal policies but also to inform the tax payer, where his or her hard earned money will be channel to. (On paper at least, coz I dont think they put those extravagant retirement parties or golfing trips in the budget)

This year the budget is getting more scrutiny from the public than usual as this has been a year that has been infested with rising oil prices, higher inflation rate, unemployment of fresh grads etc. I’ll be stuck at office and will surely miss the proceedings, but this is a few of my wish list (more like wishful thinking )

1. No more higher fuel prices.

I think the consumers have been burdened with the increase of fuel prices already. Many people have to sort to taking public transport, car pooling, skipping lunch etc. The biggest challenge for our govt is to counter this. With oil pricing reaching record prices in the United States, perhaps a rise is inevitable but as a tax payer, I’d like to know how much subsidy was the govt paying then and how much is it payaing now. Is the difference in the fuel prices is being borne solely by the consumers or shared between govt & consumers? If it’s being shared, I surely would like to know the percentage of sharing then and now…but I don’t think the govt is ready to be that transparent yet ( although I personally feel the current leadership is probably the most transparent yet) therefore I suspect it might be a rise in fuel prices again (can’t blame you on this Pak lah) but for goodness sake, make it extremely minimal. With the increase in fuel prices, guess what folks, all the prices which has direct link or no link at all will also go up. A higher inflation I suspect,maybe beyond 5%.

2. Reduce Income Taxes

I really wish the govt reduce income taxes, seriously, if fuel prices are going to go up and inflation is going to be high, please reduce our income taxes. Honestly, paying a few thousands might seem miniscule compared to the whole budget itself, but it hurts consumers like me a lot. For those of my friends, who do not need to pay their taxes (like my fellow friends who are still studying),might not understand the predicament that we feel. It’s just not about paying taxes per se, but when you hear some govt officers make farewell parties, make obscenely expensive purchases, it hurts you to the bone. So please, reduce the income taxes, its only fair.

3. SIN TAXES

As much as I am surrounded by people who are taxed for their "unhealthy" lifestyle, like cigarettes and alcohol, I think yeah why not, increase those bloody taxes on them. Especially, if it means that income taxes will be lowered. I’m being extremely self serving here and I’m not ashamed by it. As much as in principal, I think it is grossly unfair to tax people who smoke and consume alcohol, but between maintaining or rising income taxes and sin taxes, I say sin taxes. A lesser evil deed it will be !

4. Others

I would like to see lesser taxes on books and other reading materials. Books are very expensive here compared to a few neighbouring countries. If we are indeed going to inculcate a reading society, than the books have to be affordable to the society.

A reduce in car insurance premium is the best way to off set the rise of fuel prices. I commend and laud the govt’s initiative of reducing road tax but road tax is a small figure compared to the annual insurance premium that you pay.

That’s all friends, budget wish list from a seasoned tax payer.

Ever wanted to venture into a business with zero risks and confirmed returns? Ever wanted to make money from hard earning tax payers? Do not look far, become a toll operator..I’m not kidding !! All you need is have a lot of money as an initial investment, then build the highway and the rest will be taken care of. Sounds a little bit like our local ah long, isn’t it? I forward you money and then I’ll squeeze you.

My favourite Malaysian Minister, Samy, said in a statement yesterday that the government had paid RM38 Billion to toll operators in the last 20 years as a compensation because they can’t hike up their already high and burdening prices. RM 38 billion is a hell of a lot money !!! Where does the money come from, I wonder? Oh yeah, how can i forget, the chunk that the govt takes away from me every year from my salary and my bonuses ( which seriously hurts, I admit ).

Now, I’m not an anti-establishment person, I believe that taxes is neccessary for nation building but is paying RM38 billion to privatised companies the right way? I don’t think so. If u take tax payers money and build hospitals ( Puncak Alam really needs one, so does Shah Alam), schools, pay oil subsidies (yeah right !), build better facilities, then I think that’s valid and solid; but if you take our money and pay toll operators who’s already making money from people like me who pay a whopping 6 bucks a day for toll, then I say that’s bloody unfair. don’t even get me started on taking taxes and paying for a RM 5 million farewell party or even a RM250k farewell party.

Seriously folks, toll operators like PLUS, KESAS etc are profit based company and are making profits from their businesses, do the government really need to compensate them.Why did the govt go on privatisation is this is how these businesses are going to be run!!!

C’mon, this is Malaysia and this is money laundering at its highest level….

Damn, where do i get RM1 billion, to build a toll highway ?

Oh i forgot, tax payers money as well…..

Chin Peng

I’ve  been reading a lot of articles on why chin peng should not be allowed to return to the land where he calls home? The opinion is that since he committed atrocities againts the malayans, thus he does not deserved this short holiday back to malaysia…

Lets examinethis !

Purpose of visit ? Visit ancestors’ graves…I think being Asians we can appreciate that its something important to all of us

Is he still a threat ? The man is old,has no followers, and will be here for only 1 week …..So,what threat ?

Does he seek forgiveness ? Of course not, he surrendered years ago and signed an agreement with the government years ago…

Any prior precedent ? …According to some one,yes…apparentlythey allowed his comrade Madam Samsiah Fakeh back to Malaysia

So, if he’s not a threat,his purpose of visit is noble and we’ve had a precedence before,why aren’t we allowing him back? Its something that baffles me …

Oh,how can I forget?he derailed trains,cause misery, killed british officials….A man like that can’t be forgiven ? Especially,in this country….The very very same country that has welcomed and still do welcome our Japanese investors…yeah,the very same Japanese Govt that ruled us with an iron fist….They killed, raped and tortured our people, especially the chinese….But we are happy to recieve them now….well, that’s the country welive in….the very same country who is a proud commonwealth member and loves the Brits…the very same Brits who ruled us,cheated our rulers,killed our true blue warriors…But that’s the coountry we live in..

Forgive and forget folks..lets do the same forchin peng….unless, we are truly hypocrites…

Guess, most of you that read this page will know who I am

I hate the idea of blogging for the sake of telling the world things about your personal life , cause I believe that’s personal…duhhhh

The reason this blog is up is simple…many times i feel like writing about what’s happening in the world…politics, economics, social stuffs….many a times, i’m saddened by the politics in this country and how the layman is suffering thanks to certain policies by the powers above..

Yes folks, its gonna be a serious blog page with maybe small insertions about my life… this is opiniated writing from a very opiniated person…you may agree or you may not, its all right…everyone has a right to their wrong opinion…

Whatever i write here, is of my personal opinion and not related or supporting any particular political or social group.

I shall put up my first post soon….it’ll be about local politics…