COMMENT A possible budget review if oil drops below US$25 came as a no surprise for all Malaysians and was a real no-brainer (i.e. saying the obvious).

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's assertion that the government could not deceive itself and must always be realistic in determining national expenditure is seen as mere words too little, too late.

The government has revised the gross domestic product (GDP) this year to between 4.0 and 4.5 percent, notwithstanding.