This was the scene at Dewan Panorama in Taman Tun Dr Awang, Butterworth this morning, when RM500 each was given to the first batch of successful low-income applicants in the area.
Residents who had applied for the aid and received letters of approval via post from the government turned up at the venue. Young and old, they came, a few in wheelchairs. Outside the hall, they registered at counters and were given a voucher each. Clutching these vouchers, they queued up inside the hall as the line of people inched to the stage to redeem their vouchers for RM500 in cash.
On stage, a large banner on the backdrop proclaimed that this particular event was facilitated by (“disempurnakan oleh”) Nor Mohamad Yakcop, the MP for Tasik Gelugor, who happens to be the Minister in the PM’s Department in charge of the Economic Planning Unit. Also on stage were folks attired with BSN tags while a couple of others wore white shirts on which was printed ‘Pemuda Umno’. An Information Ministry van was parked outside.
The announcer told the crowd that if they didn’t want to wait, they could also obtain the RM500 cash from banks such as BSN and CIMB.
The money is paid out of Bank Negara from Taxpayer funds.
It is Wang Rakyat, not Wang Barisan Nasional…
Its way, way overpoliticised to look like the receipient should be thankful to Barisan Nasional. Leaves a bad taste in the mouth….
I found it interesting that quite a number of Penangites I talked to of a wide range of backgrounds understand that…but how will it turn out in the kampungs and other communities which only rely on MSM news ?
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It is your money folks, bukan wang UMNO/sycophants! They are just managing the country’s wealth, infact, they are badly mismanaging it, they do not have the money to give it to you folks, they have to resort to borrowings to follow what Pakatan Rakyat State Government in Penang is giving.
Penang is giving 100 per year, thinking of making it a twice a year affair in Penang. UMNO/sycophants are giving RM500, once off, perhaps once in five years. That means 100 per year. Serupa saja, thank you Pakatan Rakyat, without you, the Rakyat will never have the chance to gain some form of assistance during difficult times. from an uncaring Federal Government. And Pakatan Rakyat, thank you, you did not make it difficult, just register, once you are above 60, you are entitled to it automatically. Here, once in 5 years, all sorts of syarat syarat! Tak payahlah! Serupa dengan PR saja! Make it a yearly payment if you are sincere, UMNO/sycophants!
Penang State Government gave the RM100 through good fiscal managements, from savings, from checks on corruptions, they gave it to Penangnites because they can afford it. UMNO/sycophants are giving it to you, because they do not want to lose out, they can afford to lose money ( which does not belong to them) but they cannot lose out to Pakatan Rakyat! Cannot lose face, like what our Singaporeans said, “kiasu”? UMNO/sycophants, truly pathetic! And our Najib is now so engrossed in running sundry shops! Najib, oh, Najib!
Show us your leadership qualities, show us how you are going to manage the economy inview of difficult times ahead. Manage the economy, Najib, not sundry shops!
Selamatkan Malaysia, Anak Bangsa Malaysia!
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I think the monies distributed by the State govt. in Penang was attributed to/because of a surplus budget – unlike habitual monumental deficit run-up by UMNO/BN admins.
Case in point – Perak – where a surplus under the auspice of Pakatan Rakyat, had its state coffers turned upside down to record a deficit of some RM$200 mil while under the care of a state admin that was hijacked but sanctioned by the Istana.
Also, as correctly stated by ASobri, sums distributed in Penang was to aid retirees and not the “free-for-all” that we currently see – I think that distinction is important.
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Ahmad Sobri: “…thank you Pakatan Rakyat, without you, the Rakyat will never have the chance to gain some form of assistance during difficult times. from an uncaring Federal Government.”
Gherkin K: “aiyah, why you let the cat out of the bag ah??? Now we have to pretend to change and some more we have to pay. Also so hard to cari makan nowadays. Must answer for this and that. This Anwar is a real pain in the…lah, pun intended.”
Sorry, just filling in for Gherkin. I think he’s off somewhere sulking because of my last comment.
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Penang gave money to the deserving (who qualified) even though the Federals had not paid Penang its allocation.
Selamatkan Malaysia!
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Ahmad Sobri, you need to talk to the kampong folk, explain to them as they are easily deceived just like my mom said to me that BN give me RM500, so i need to vote for BN.
Of course, i quickly corrected her that that was the people’s money, our own hard earned money, and i said to her go and tell your friends.
All the best !!!
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News say , there is 3 millions “benefactor” .
Hmmm, a 28 millions population country, after so many year of “satu lagi project bn”, there is still 3/28 = 10.7% of population eligible !? If this is not … up , I really can’t find other thesis better than this to describe government dysfunctional.
By the way, among 28 millions population, at least 20% are not working class(e.g. children, student,retired person) . So the “benefactor” level are much worst than we imagine. In addition, there is no audit about “double payment” or payment to “phantom”.
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Anil,
Yes indeed…Our Taxpayer’s blood, sweat and tears…
Politics is ugly. Never doubt what small men will do for great power…
Democracy is the state of affairs in which you consent to having your pocket picked, and elect the best man to do it.
Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles…
In Bolehland, Jibby & his ilks will promise to build bridges even when there are no rivers…!
Finally, to share this…
“In a written reply to Chong today, the Finance Ministry, which is under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself, announced that the government had earned a total of RM1,199,574,646 in tax revenue from six numbers forecast operations (NFOs) in 2009 and RM988,781,852 until September 30 this year.
The ministry also revealed that it had collected taxes worth RM105,514,511 from “special draws” in 2009 and RM90,096,781 until September 30 this year. In total, the government has earned over RM1.08 billion in taxes from both the NFOs and “special draws” to date this year…”
“If you add it with money earned from Genting, the total revenue would come up to at least RM2.3 billion in just one year. And then this RM2.3 billion goes back into the Consolidated Fund…”
Mobile – Malaysia – DAP dares Putrajaya to segregate gambling income @ Mon Dec 06 2010 – http://www.themalaysianinsider…ng-income/
How do the Penang “Holier than thou” receivers feel about this…
when they complained about LGE’s state government payout of RM100 earlier…?
You be the judge.
Shalom.
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At the rate that the deceitful and corrupted Umnoputras are dishing out money from the nation’s coffer each time before an election there is no faster way to avoid going into bankruptcy faster than predicted !
Here again, the deceitful Umnoputras, their only solution to all the woes the country is facing or better still the morons are able to find a solution is to give away, not own their money, but that belongs to the country, money. Can money really be the solution to every problem ?
Just like the numerous cash incentives they are now offering to the ex non Malaysian professionals to return to serve in Malaysia.
And that was done after more than a decade before Talent Corp. should really be called Pendatang Corp., was formed to plea to the mainly immigrated non Malay professionals without any success. I am able to attest to this as my three immigrated children were approached, not once but several times to return to serve in the country more than a decade ago.
What has happened to the million of NEP students sent abroad to become professionals ? There should be an excess of Malay professionals in Malaysia after so many decades, or may be they all failed to return with the appropriate professions and were and are hidden in the over blown civil services as chiefs and bosses ?
Malaysia by now should have more than enough of professionals even to send to countries in northern African or even to Palestine, just a few examples, to help them out of their miseries.
Finally remember after the election more new taxes will be introduced to claw back the money the country does not have in the first place or to borrow even more.
Remember at the end who has to end up repaying them ? Surely it isn’t from the pockets of the morons but from the taxes of the people.
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Malaysia may not be bankrupt but the Raykat will soon start to cry. Thats when GST and various taxes would be implemented to cover for any shortfall when the Corrupted UMNO & BN form the govt again. Don`t say you have not been warned when price of essential good start to increase drastically. Its good to take the money to celebrate the new year but then vote Pakatan Rakyat.
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They used our money to distribute to people… have they asked for permission first??!!! What makes us the taxpayers even more angry is that they said those RM500 are courtesy of BN and not us the taxpayers.
And to make the situation even worst, aren’t the budget is deficit now??!!
If they really think about the people, don’t just get barang naik! Sugar price has rose several times since Robert Kuok was forced to sell his sugar business to the roti canai boy from alor setar.
Everything goes up.. yet they say inflation is still under control without any harm. Come the next GE and should they win (most probably) poor folks will surfer and those 500 handout is nothing!
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What those idiots don`t realize is that they have to still buy the raw sugar from, Robert Kuok
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Yang, i thought Robert Kuok’s sugar refinery has been sold to Umnoputra !!!
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Kee,
The takeover of the sugar mill (allegedly) earned the UMNOPUTRA cronies 10 billions but the counctry lost 200 billion. Right after Robert Kuok left Malaysia, he immediately announced the acquisition of Australia’s biggest sugar factory. This is the world supplier of raw material for sugar manufacturing. Of course, this includes supplying to the … Sugar factory in Perlis.
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So kind of them. But what about the rising prices of big-ticket expenes, big purchases including houses (RM 10,000 to 50,000 a year) and cars (monopoly), deliberate destruction of public transport (the exact method including incompetence does not matter)? Remember, there has been no significant rise in the salaries in the private sector for decades, and this is made worse by the regular increments in the civil service.
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Over in S’wak, the RM500 scheme is apparently hitting a big bump. Folks from the areas far from towns are complaining that they will have to spend more than RM500 to get that RM500.
The ill-planned RM500 financial assistance for the poor in Sarawak is incurring the wrath of poor rural folks who had to spend more to get the aid money.
See:
Monday 16/01/2012
http://radiofreesarawak.org/2012/01/monday-16012012/
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It’s vote buying on a massive scale !
Courtesy of the most fiscally irresponsible PM
our country has ever had.
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Today, I saw quite a long queue at Maybank Farlim eagerly getting their RM500 ‘ang pows’. Many Ah Peks and Ah Chim were shining bright in their faces brigthening up the bank interior, more brighter than the usually hot sun of January.
And it rained cats and dogs signifying ‘Shui’ (Money) for the timely collection.
To all of them, spend prudently on the families and vote wisely for a better future and Rakyat’s prosperity (for all) of Malaysia!
If only I am eligible for the timely RM500, I will spend more Kopi-O kau kau topped up with Penang’s famed street hawker food with Anil!
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Thanks for the thought, tunglang!
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