COMMENT Disappointed with the predictions of political pundits on the country's fortune which never seem to be right, I turned to my astrologer friend, Master Chun Chun, for his reading on what the Year of the Goat has in store for the country. The following are his five predictions:

1. The country's stock index will top the 2,800 mark.

This record high will not be due to a recovery in oil and commodity prices, but because of the government’s adoption of the Tanjung Rambutan fiscal sustainability model.

According to the auditor-general, this unique model of fiscal prudence has two key aspects. One is the practice of participatory fiscal planning, which involves both staff and inmates. The second is the open account system - which enables the public to view details of revenue and expenditure online, and acts as a check against financial malfeasance.

The Tanjung Rambutan system was first implemented three years ago, and has resulted in developmental and operational cost savings of over 50 percent annually for the asylum.

In just the first year of its operations nationwide, it is expected to reduce budget deficit from the current 3.4 percent to less than 2 percent. Government-linked companies (GLCs) will be the biggest contributors to savings in the new system.