I wish to comment on the government's decision to allocate RM20,000 for each death of family members suffered by the tsunami survivors. Firstly, let me say that I am in total agreement with the decision to award financial assistance to the victims.

But I would like to question the logic and rationale of the allocation. Let us be clear on the government's plan. If a family suffers one death, they are awarded RM20,000 and if two or three deaths, then it would be RM40,000 and RM60,000 respectively.

I think this is not the best way for the allocation. Although the principle of 'multiple grief' must equal 'multiple compensation' in the government's plan seems logical, I think it is ill-conceived.

Let us first take a simple scenario. Two parents who have lost five children will be awarded RM20,000 x 5 and that equals RM100,000. But another family with five children who lost their father who was the sole bread winner will be awarded only RM20,000.

Is this fair? The first family has no more children to raise but the second has six mouths to feed. Where is the sense of intelligence in this scheme?

I thought that the basic principle of aid is to let each family attempt to continue to make a living from the surviving members.

For the tsunami victims, I think that there should be clear and accurate property damage estimates and the victims compensated accordingly for what was lost e.g.houses, stores, shops, and sampans.

And let us not forget the orphans. The government should attempt to house these orphans with relatives or foster parents accompanied with say RM20,000 per child. Which brings us back to the above compensation scheme.

If a child from a family of five lost four members, will this orphan be awarded RM80,000? And what about the orphan who was the sole child of a couple who perished in the waves? Would she only receive RM40,000?

Something is certainly not right. A government who thinks simplistically about such a compensation scheme seems to be not thinking clearly.