YOURSAY ‘The gov’t can't even cope with floods, what more a financial crisis.’

Bamboo: With national debt at nearly 60 percent of the gross development product (GDP), a quickly depreciating ringgit, Petronas' tax contribution to be less than half the usual amount, where to find the money to feed the rent-seeking activities of Umnoputras and the sucking of public money by government officers?

It won’t be long that our country will be bankrupted. If only the alleged RM1.2 trillion siphoned off by the elites overseas during the last decade were repatriated to help the country and the people.

Pputeh: Yes, we are not in crisis. But do we wait for it to happen? Cut all unnecessary expenses now, and PM Najib Razak should stay at home and learn to be frugal.

If anyone needs to save it’s the top leaders, i.e the PM, ministers and the like. It’s very irresponsible for them to say we are not 'in crisis'.

As I said, do we wait till we are on our knees before solving our problems? We build a toilet long before we need to use it, not when we want to defecate, and only then build the toilet.

Abasir: Aren't you going to advise Malaysians to “change their lifestyle” while you and family rack up million-ringgit electricity bills, host elaborate feasts and fly around the world on the government jet?

Eyespye: I read somewhere that cuts to government spending on "overseas travel, events and functions, and professional services" will save RM1.6 billion.

RM1.6 billion for fat cats to strut their stuff overseas and for back-slapping, high-five'ing government staff to grow fat on rendang and satay.

That spending is enough to get Kelantan back on its feet, that's how big it is. These cuts should be done with or without a global oil price meltdown. As well as the RM400 million on that pointless National Service thing.

Anonymous_3f6d: Now I am very very worried at the fact that Najib declared we are not in crisis. The BN government can't even cope with floods, what more with a financial crisis.

Baiyuensheng: Sensitivity tests should already be part of the budgeting process. This is especially so when we relied on gas/oil revenue so much. Anything that is over-reliant needs the test to see where we are and how resilient we can be.

And come up with contingency. It is part of the risk management process. Don’t tell me Umno does not know this.

Legit: What kind of response is this to a crisis that is really happening in the country? This is a great opportunity for the PM to put the house in order by slashing all unnecessary spending and to refocus the direction of the economy.

As usual, he lives in his own illusionary world, not understanding the reality on the ground.

Mushiro: Najib and his advisers can only see the alarming drop in global crude oil prices and the national currency.

What about the Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang floods? What about the continuous leakages that is draining big funds from the Treasury? What about 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) where the government has guaranteed its loans?

Just the 1MDB fiasco alone can rock the Malaysian banks. Again Najib is naive, incompetent and hiding from the real problems.

Dhammika: Nation not in crisis? The PM has got to be kidding. The poor rakyat are tightening their belts due to food prices increasing from 5 to 10 percent. Eating kangkung is not the solution.

Stop all leakages, and cut the salaries for PM and all cabinet ministers. Stop corrupt practices and increase productivity of civil services. Good and transparent government must be immediately put into practice. Stop BRIM (Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia) payments.

Jeneral Al Ayubi: A rebound in exports coupled with buoyant private consumption and private investment in Malaysia drove economic growth of 6.3 percent in the first half of last year, which exceeded expectations.

Exports benefitted from stronger demand in industrial economies for electronics and electrical products. Growth in employment and wages helped to propel private consumption.

Private fixed investment expanded at double-digit rates, but public sector fixed investment fell, largely reflecting government efforts to tackle the fiscal deficit.

Abdul Hilmie: Many items do not have GST (Goods and Services Tax) such as, food (oil, rice, sugar, salt). Medical, medicine, transportation will not be included in GST.

GST is for the development of our country. Those who have lower salary pay lower GST. Those with higher salary pay more.

Malaysia Ku: Malaysiakini should start a course on Basic English writing for its subscribers... oops! I meant for Umno's cybertroopers who are defacing the site with incomprehensible comments.

Perhaps the deputy prime minister can sponsor it. After all, he likens himself to be a paragon of refulgency in educational matters.

Anonymous_1419577444: I have this theory that the cybertroopers may not even be Malaysians but a bunch of kids sitting in an office somewhere outside the country.

They are given some cheat-sheet to write and post some stuff but have no idea at all what they are about. How else would one interpret the consistent trend of atrocious English from these pretenders?

Chipmunk: As of now, the ringgit stands at RM2.70 against SGD and RM2.96 against AUD and RM3.62 against USD.

The latest crude oil stands at US$44 per barrel. So to all the Umno cybertroopers, care to explain these facts and as to how Najib's budget review is going to boost the country's economy?

Well Thats Fantastic: Najib is kind of like a used-car seller saying, you can trust me, I do this for a living.

Anonymous #59879079: Indeed, famous last words.

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