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'Call it what you will, but rakyat to pay the price'
Published:  Jul 17, 2010 12:04 PM
Updated: 5:03 AM

your say 'Perhaps the government is not going ‘bankrupt' but just simply cannot afford to repay its loans. Perhaps BN doesn't practice corruption, just buying or trading in ‘services'.'

 

PM's Office to editors: Taboo to say 'price hike'

Jbss: PM Najib Razak, truth always hurt, isn't it? Just like the euphemism 'money politics' for corruption, no amount of communication and PR spinning (as advised by Apco Worldwide consultants) will help you wash away the sins of this corrupted and racist regime.

Only good governance, fair and transparent policies, open-tender system of awarding contracts, the promotion and practice of full accountability, and merit-based policies free from political patronage and race-based considerations, can you hope to gain some credibility for your government.

Sarawakian: Isn't this typical of BN to pull wool over our eyes? They think we are too stupid to differentiate the difference? The savings could hardly cover the commission allegedly paid to Abdul Razak Baginda for the submarine purchase. I suppose Najib would call such a commission "public donation" to the cronies and Umnoputras?  

Anonymous: Najib's approach in selling an unpopular measure, such as the subsidy cuts, is to play with words, whereas his real shortcoming is the huge credibility deficit of Umno. Malaysians have been roundly abused by successive administrations - from Dr Mahathir Mohamad to Abdullah Badawi, and now Najib. They're disgusted and nauseated by the sleaze, abuse of power and corruption of the Umno politicians.

The rakyat expect real reforms - a hard fix of what is broken and what has gone horribly wrong. Najib takes the easy way out by giving us a quick fix ‘1Malaysia' slogan, and make us bear the burden of Umno's excesses.

Abdul Aziz Salleh: Much have been said about the price hikes and the suffering of the rakyat due to the rising cost of living. The PM can emulate himself by letting his family and cabinet members know the true meaning of "frugal" and "belt tightening". He should walked his talk. 

Malaysian: If anyone is still not convinced about the uselessness of the MSM (mainstream media), this should have convince them. It's not the reporter's fault, but if the government is controlling what they can write and publish, then what's the use of the media except as the government's mouthpiece?

Swipenter: Maybe next time, the newspapers would be asked to use:

1) corruption = consultation fees

2) cost overruns = price adjustments

3) bribe = goodwill fees

4) white elephants = aesthetic-valued projects

5) shoddy work = acts of God

6) police indiscriminate shooting = friendly fire

Outahere: Perhaps the government is not going "bankrupt" but just simply cannot afford to repay its loans. Perhaps the BN doesn't practice corruption, just buying or trading in "services". Perhaps TBH (Teoh Beng Hock) was not murdered, they just put him outside the window while gravity killed him. Perhaps our federal leaders are not stupid, just victims of consequences.

Habik RAK: Even the simple dissemination of information is being manipulated by this Umno/BN government. The idea of telling the truth appears to be very alien to them.

Phan Gaik Cher: Cost increase is not confined to direct cost. There is also the indirect cost. If fuel goes up, transport cost goes up and correspondingly, most items will increase in cost due to higher transport cost. This is the multiplier effect.

I bet most items will go up by at least 10 percent due to this. All these, because the economy is so screwed up by BN that they need to jack up the prices to cover the big hole which they have dug. Call it whatever you like, you can't fool us. A price increase is a price increase, and will affect everyone.

Ksn: So everything is a public relations exercise. What Najib, his cabinet and government should realise and empathise with is the poor man's difficulties to feed his family.

I have no doubt that the government has the figures on the runaway inflation and how it has affected the lives of ordinary poor families. No amount of public relation can soothe the pain.

Tristan: Thank you, Apco, for the lesson in euphemisms. It is now taboo to say that the second wife is fat, just say she is 'oversized'. It is taboo to say the PM is a spineless wimp, just say he is flexible. It is taboo to say the government is corrupt, just say it can be persuaded.

It is taboo to say that Tun is a megalomaniac, just say that his ego is nature's compensation for his mediocrity.

 


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