Corruption is like water in a leaky bucket

Harapan is the one driving M’sia towards bankruptcy

Kingfisher: International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed seems to have run out of credible arguments to defend fiscal policies that have led to much hardship to ordinary wage-earning and small-business-operating Malaysians.

As MP of Jeli, a minister and a highly knowledgeable person, he more than many should be well-conversant with the ground-level realities in respect to the decline in purchasing power of the Malaysian ringgit, the constant gripe of many about the GST (goods and services tax) and the increase in cost of living and decline in quality of living, the increasing insecurity of income and employment amongst the youth and the highly qualified.

One wonders if he appears to have lost empathy with the concerns of ordinary Malaysians on real world socio-economic issues that he was highly reputed for in his early career.

One would have liked to have even thought that he must surely have felt a little uncomfortable sitting at the oval table in the White House with remarks about helping the American economy.

Anonymous #21828131: Mustapa, with so much of leakages and corruption, and I never ever heard you saying anything about 1MDB and other leakages.

You chose to remain deaf and dumb like your irresponsible colleagues. You have to thank your lucky stars that ours is a rich country with plenty of resources to keep you guys going until you run it to the ground.

The rakyat are not stupid and they know by plugging these leakages and big-time corruption, there is a 50-50 chance for the country to pull through, and now is our chance. Just wait till GE14.

Anonymous 2469701494820788: Collecting revenue from GST is a wise and fair decision, taxable on all segments of the social strata of society in replacement of service and excise tax.

But to waste it on unnecessary ministries and personal excesses of the PM and his Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is totally imprudent, what more on a religious body that is hell-bent on creating confusion among believers and non-believers while education and health take a back seat.

Hplooi: I submit that GST was a direct result of the 1MDB mess. Back when the 1MDB theft was first discovered and reported in the world, the sense of crisis was deepening especially after multi-billion bonds were raised.

If you remember back then, GST was hastily imposed (ostensibly to replaces the sales-tax regime). I submit that GST was necessary otherwise Malaysia would have suffered a catastrophic degradation in rating as a direct result of the 1MDB fiasco.

Remember, billions of dollars went off the radar screen. The international lenders do not degrade borrowers to junk status just like that. They are more interested in keeping the ‘victim’ alive so that they can collect their money.

Just before Greece went bust, international rating agencies were still giving Greece decremented rating A- to A–, etc. Therefore, a country’s international rating may not be completely indicative of deep structural problems.

After GST, the pressure of derating lessened for Malaysia. But that consequential fall in international perception (remember billions just went off the radar without any good explanation) impacted our currency.

The ringgit was the worst performing during this period. And this was/is the main reason for our drop in living standards and the increase cost of living.

Have you seen Milo imported from Australia? Or even more egregious, why are prices of fish sky-rocketing? It is not okay just to make general statement that fish price is sky-rocketing all over the world (not true, check Thailand – while price has gone up there, it did not skyrocket as in Malaysia).

And that is the tragedy, as this can directly be laid at the feet of the minister responsible (remember this same man was more into race politics than performing his ministerial tasks).

Ditto, the rural development minister who went on to start a digital mall for Malays on taxpayers’ money. The rapist is now blaming the victim, while the ‘slappee’ has to apologise to the slapper.

Anonnon: Let’s all do our part and willingly pay GST so that Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) can use the revenue to pay off 1MDB debts accrued as a result of his alleged thievery.

Democracy: It’s very easy to fill the hole. Cooperate with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to recover the lost money. Then prosecute and confiscate all the allegedly stolen money.

After all, MACC managed to recover hundreds of million in Sabah alone.

Clever Voter: Mustapa is not fair to himself. He is very aware of the abuses and recklessness of his government in managing country’s treasury and wealth. He is also fully aware of the dangers ahead.

As Miti minister, he knows why we have lost out in our competitiveness. He chose to hide his head in the sand.

If Mustapa and his friends continue to be in denial then he has to accept the undignified route of facing defeat in the next GE. But he is assured that chances of that happening are slim. After all, the electoral system is rigged.

Drngsc: Any Standard 5 kid can see that if we cut down the billions that we lost through corrupt practices, Malaysia will have more than enough for education and healthcare.

You call Pakatan Harapan leaders dreamers, but they have shown over 10 years how their ideas and strategies have worked in Penang and Selangor. Two great examples. Much better than your home state of Kelantan.

Ib: This is what the Malaysian public sees – 1) subsidies for essential items removed, 2) scholarships abolished, 3) National Education Fund (PTPTN) loans cut, 4) funding to universities slashed, leaving student hostels with no funds for catering, 5) funding for welfare bodies reduced, leaving many sick, such as HIV patients and old retirees in a lurch, 6) roads and public amenities not maintained.

Are any of the above the responsibility of Harapan?

I would ask the minister to go and look what the current government is doing and answer why we are encountering all the above when the country is prospering.

Oscar Kilo: Malaysiakini publishes comments by BN ministers, so why don’t New Straits Times or Utusan Malaysia publish comments by Harapan leaders?

Straightalk: Dear Mr Minister, and I don’t have any ill feelings towards you. But if BN cannot deliver positive results, what do I have to lose if I give my vote to the opposition?

Francis_14a3: The last time when Selangor offered to give free water, BN said the state would go bankrupt. After almost 10 years of giving free water, Selangor is as strong financially as ever.

If BN doesn’t know how to run the country, let others run it. We all have got a choice, and we are going to make it right this time.

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