German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that she still finds time to do her groceries herself. Perhaps Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak and other members of the cabinet should do a 'lawatan sambil belajar' by travelling on local buses to appreciate the time and effort this involves.

Secondly, this would help them appreciate the Malaysian climate which is quite different from the air-conditioned cars and the Putrajaya ambience.

Thirdly, they would do well to go to some of our wet markets and have experience for themselves the effort it takes to park, to purchase and to pay the prices that are being charged.

When transport costs go up, everything goes up. It is ridiculous to indicate to businessmen not to raise prices when the government does so.

I think many of our lawmakers live in towers of unreality and lecture the common man on how to balance their accounts. It is time for an injection of reality and I hope the prime minister and his cabinet heed such advice.