Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (Mipas) welcomes Budget 2012 that is difficult not to “feel good” with, tabled by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is also Finance Miniter, at the Dewan Rakyat on Friday.

Mipas strongly believes Najib is using tax payers’ money for the feel good factor, and so what’s the great about that? Najib should thank the Pakatan Rakatan for having copied many points from Pakatan’s Buku Jingga.

The rakyat should be thanking and congratulating Pakatan instead Najib. After all, Pakatan has proven they can manage well in Selangor, Penang, Kelantan and Kedah and also Perak during their short tenure there. I think it is time to change the political scenery in Putrajaya.

Budget 2012 is a ‘buy the Malay vote and keep the poor dependent’ budget; it’s definitely not a rakyat’s budget. Take for example the subsidy for sugar after the price hike of sugar, that is cleverly channelling public fund to certain interested parties.

The budget offers a lot of sweeteners for civil servants and pensioners, so if the civil servants are getting the bonus only in Dec then the general election will likely be in early 2012. This budget is designed to welcome GE13.

It’s like giving with right hand and taking back with the left after winning the elections. Once BN is re-elected, I think the rakyat will be paying back more than what has been given. We have suffered 53 years under this current government, just look at what NEP and the so-called 1Malaysia policies. The rakyat should not allow themselves to be fooled again.

The writer is secretary general Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (Mipas).