YOURSAY 'Why need RM200 rebate? If they can afford to pay a costly telco data plan, would they still be considered low-income group?'

RM200 rebate only for smartphones below RM500

your say Lim Chong Leong: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is under the purview of an old dinosaur minister who does not even know there is no real smartphone under the price of RM500, not even second-hand ones.

With the other criteria, no one will be left to qualify for any rebate. As we suspect all along, the PM's announcement is once again a feel-good measure done without much research on its viability.

Mangodurian: Why the RM500 restriction? Is it because there are no practical smartphones at that price and that the budget allocated will not be used, which can then be re-siphoned to someone's pocket?

Not Confused: Yet another promise unfulfilled. So what's new? The PM and his band of thieves are good at making headline-grabbing statements, only to be watered down in the small print at the implementation stage.

JFA: In my view, you are not giving a helping hand to teach the rakyat to grow. You are teaching us to eat but you are not teaching us how to cook.

LiarsSlaughter: How to buy the so-called smartphone when you don't even have the monthly income in the first place? Maybe they can borrow from the Ah Longs and sell the phone for RM100 less immediately to make a quick buck.

Awakening: I foresee there will be a lot of fictitious transaction by government-appointed ‘agent' phone dealers.

Unmasked: PM Najib Razak, what about senior citizens? We need subsidies more than the 21-30 age group. They are young and able but given assistance, whereas the old and jobless are given none.

SteveK: Is the below RM500 smartphone smart? This rebate is more suitable for the older people as they need only an entry level smartphone. Young people need smarter phones to make them smarter.

Dr Jacob George: May the Almighty help us. This has been the daily reruns and the DNA of this administration where what the head says publicly and the body does administratively are virtually poles apart.

WangMalaysia: The best statement in this news article: "...with monthly income of RM3,000 and below or without monthly income..."

And how would the government suggest they pay for the data packages that they need to go with a smart phone.

That's about it. A smart phone is just a phone without the data package. Okay, okay, it can be a personal entertainment unit as well.

Chris Wong: RM500 for a ‘smart' phone, good luck in purchasing one in the free market. Authorised dealers = authorised cronies and rent-seekers.

We call this another "robbing Peter to pay Paul" scheme. Is there no end to looting our rakyat's wealth?

Anonymous #40538199: Don't spend on the hand phone yet. You may need to pay the Automated Enforcement System (AES) summons.

Anonymous #78935381: Relax, the government will be releasing a new smartphone soon called MyPhone, and it's only worth RM500.

Unhappy netizens mock RM500 smartphone criteria

Abasir: Instead of seriously raising income levels and job opportunities through meaningful economic planning and execution, this cabinet of clowns does what it does best: take shortcuts just like it has done with everything else and hope to remain in power. Idiocy under Najib is simply unending.

Onyourtoes: We have nincompoop government now creating nincompoop netizens and citizens.

Look, it is not the business of the government to provide grants to those who want to buy smart phone. Obviously the government could make better use of the money in so many other programmes.

And for the people, if you seriously need RM200 assistance from the government before you can afford to buy a smartphone, then in all livelihood you probably do not need one. I think only political correctness can justify the continued existence of this moronic programme.

Yes, you fellows just wait a little longer, soon the government (if the election is further delayed) will come up with a programme to help pay off your marriage expenses too - you know, wedding dresses, rings, kenduri and musical bands, etc.

Righteous: Can someone please tell me how BN is weaning Malaysia off subsidies?

Kgen: RM500 for a smartphone shows a disturbing disconnection from reality. But what do we expect from BN?

Intheair: I enjoy reading all the Twitter messages. Our youngsters are creative and too far ahead of MCMC. There is still hope in this country.

MCMC: Smartphone rebate cap for low-income youths

Anonymous#007: This smells of another BN scheme to use taxpayers' monies to help some handphone dealers and telcos (telecommunication companies) to clear their obsolete stock.

Telcos in the United States and many other countries are practically giving away phones for free if you commit to a plan.

And if you wait, I am sure these soon-to-be-if-not-already-obsolete models will be offered for free with a plan, or for not more than RM200 without a plan, because there will be a flood of cheap 3G phones very soon.

Stop using taxpayers' monies to help big businesses. RM300 million can feed about 100,000 homeless people or run 200 national schools for a year.

Malaysia ABU: Why need RM200 rebate? If those can afford to pay a telco data plan monthly, are they still from the low-income group?

Apapunboleh: You mean the owner with a RM500 3G phone can afford to pay for downloading costly data via 3G? If one would use 3G for downloading data, he surely can afford even 4G phones.

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