EPF cuts show ‘spend more, save less’ mentality
YOURSAY | ‘The message is, ‘Why waste your money by keeping it for the future’?’
With EPF cuts, Najib robs workers of their future
Oh Ya?:
I fully agree with the writer Hazlan Zakaria. Already 80 percent of the Employees Provident Fund (EFP) contributors are having less than RM200,000 in their accounts, which means they can't retire comfortably.
What more with the increased cost of living caused primarily by the Goods and Services Tax (GST), increase in tolls and utility tariffs and reduction of subsidies.
On the other hand, why are expired politicians still holding minister-ranking posts? Why is there no voluntary separation scheme (VSS) on the bloated civil service?
Why is there "no compromise to the bumiputera agenda", meaning the Umnoputras could continue to blunder with impunity? Why continue Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) handouts?
Instead, health and education expenditures are cut and government-linked companies (GLCs) are asked to sell their high-yield investments and move back the money, and this will hurt future earnings.
Swipenter: Najib Abdul Razak is allegedly the most spendthrift of all the prime ministers.
He even borrows to spend on unproductive projects but which earn him political mileage like BR1M and multiple hikes in salaries of civil servants and enlarging the already over-bloated civil service.
But nothing is done to fight corruption, wastage and leakages despite the glaring incidents revealed in every annual Auditor-General’s Report.
Massive bailouts for cronies’ failed projects is another hallmark of Umno, spend on white elephant projects and to sustain the unsustainable New Economic Policy (NEP).
They can do it when oil was plentiful with a good price. If not, then we have crude palm oil (CPO) and rubber to help out.
Now the party is ending. How blessed is Bolehland; rich in natural resources and free from major natural disasters but cursed with irresponsible and incompetent leaders.
Patriot of Malaysia: Hazlan, why did you not mention that the employee has the right to say he wants to contribute his share as always?
This is a right given to the employee, and if they don’t want it, that is their decision. Staying alive now is subject to you reaching your old age.
Mosquitobrain: Najib, EPF is our only saving for old age. The present 11 percent EPF contribution from employees has been there for quite some time. Instead of adjusting upwards to offset the shrinking ringgit, you as usual do the opposite.
You should have downsized your bloated and inefficient cabinet. Cut unnecessary purchases, spending and massive corruption.
There is nothing to shout about in your recalibrated budget that would be true to your tag line, ‘Rakyat didahulukan’.
Anonymous_1416272691: Basically the message from Najib by reducing our EPF contribution from 11 to eight percent is simply, "Why waste your money by keeping it for the future?
“The way our money is disappearing and squandered and given away in donations, there is basically no more future."
Time for Agong, Conference of Rulers to flex their muscles
Vijay47: Najib approaching the Kedah sultan possibly for a change in menteri besar is of course a state matter, but the way Dr Mahathir Mohamad had allegedly twisted, manipulated, and destroyed the essence of the federal constitution surely has its ramifications at state level also.
It is poetic justice, karma is at work, and the ghosts have started to haunt, yet at the end of the day, even if the Agong or rulers do not sign on the dotted line, any proposed amendment or change will become effective.
The rakyat do not expect the royalty to box Najib's ears and throw him out the door but we hope that a ruler, Agong or sultan, stands firm and says, "No, I will not sign. If you want to make it law, let it be over my disagreement."
The nation will know at least that tuanku murka.
Negarawan: Will the Agong and Conference of Rulers do the right thing for the rakyat and send the right message to Najib that they are not mere rubber stamps for him?
Will they allow the damage he has caused to the economy and international reputation of the country to continue?
RCZ: That is not going to happen. And it should not. The royalty should remain out of politics. And stay out of business but we can see that is not happening. Therein lies the answer as to whether they will save the day.
It is only the people who will have to say enough is enough to corruption, to stealing, to mismanagement, to using government funds as if it belongs to their grandfathers.
Sakit Hati Ku: If our Malaysian sultans have any pride left, they should take some pointers from the Thai king.
They should see how the Thai monarch carried out his royal duty to always have his subjects come first in his mind. It is for this reason he is so revered, respected and love by his subjects.
With a free hand it takes just seconds to draw a crooked line but, takes years to perfect the skill to draw a straight line. Malaysia's reputation has sunk below the acceptable line of human decency and good governance.
It will take a giant effort to restore our international reputation, acceptable to the civilised world.
If the Conference of Rulers and the Agong remained decorative wall flowers, this nation unquestionably will go down further into the gutter. Malaysians and the monarchs are all sitting on a time bomb.
Tick, tick, tick. If it goes 'bang', it will be thy kingdom come.
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