I am very disappointed that the prime minister has said that we should not ask for subsidies and handouts and that those who can afford should pay for the textbooks. How is it that some 70,000 school-going children of teachers are given free textbooks when it is a known fact that the household income of married teachers is above RM2,000?

If this is the case, then Road Transport Department staff need not pay road tax, postal staff should get free stamps every month while oil company staff should not have to pay for petrol. Maybe policeman and ministers should not pay fines too.

If we really want to help the poor, than it must be for the poor only and no exceptions should be allowed. And please define 'poor' well. Don't simply classify those with a household income of RM2,000 and below as poor. Look at the number of children, their location, etc, and come out with a better yardstick to manage the assistance well.

Until such time the government knows how to deliver fair subsidies, it will be better to just extend such subsidies to all citizens. Any subsidy we know of does not really benefit the poor alone but also those smart guys who use every loophole to take advantage of the system with the support of individuals in the government. It makes a mockery of the whole subsidy scheme.