YOURSAY | ‘What you receive today will have to be repaid by you in the years to come.’
PM announces bonus one-year increment for civil servants
Varuna: What is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak proposing to do, why is he doing it, and where is the money coming from?
The politicisation of a civil service will eventually lead to the diminishing of its nobleness.
If Najib is proposing a new approach of Malaysia Incorporated, it will have some merit if he includes the private sector and Malaysian citizens as a whole in some long-term scheme involving the distribution of national wealth.
This would require some serious stock-taking of national resources and assets, and reasonable projections of our potential for wealth generation, et cetera, over a generation to chart out a healthy and equitable wealth distribution culture.
Going by the disparities, discrimination and disproportionate acquisition of wealth distribution in the recent decade, we seem to be regressing in this regard.
The Scandinavian democracies, especially Norway, seem to be on a decent track towards establishing a respectful distribution legacy with its North Sea oil resources.
Anonymous 2413471460628504: This is blatant vote-buying. There is no difference between this "bonus" for the civil servants and saying you will be paid money if you vote for BN.
It should be illegal but is openly announced with much fanfare, and with no shame and no repercussions.
To rub salt into the wound, the money used to buy votes does not belong to the political party but belongs to the rakyat. Unfortunately, not many understand this.
Bluemountains: Government servants and pensioners must remember that there is no free lunch.
What you receive today will have to be repaid by you and your future generations in the years to come, and that includes those in the private sector and the self-employed who received nothing.
Anonymous 2402211456665890: The way the PM is pouring out the monies is as if the monies belong to him.
The monies are from taxpayers who work hard and diligently pay their taxes. This is money politics of the highest order.
Well That’s Fantastic: Civil servants in other countries don't get bonuses from their prime minister.
Bonuses are supposed to be linked to performance in civil service. Right now, by paying this to all, it is a bribe at the expense of all taxpayers.
They have been carrying on about how the country cannot afford the opposition’s policies. I think this proves otherwise. It is blatant mismanagement of the federal coffers.
Sinan Belawan: Is this not an offence under the Election Offences Act 1954?
Giving a bonus to government servants, providing medical assistance to parents of civil servants by the government of the day is not an offence?
Anonymous_3e79: Indeed, this should be illegal. At this point so close to the general election, it is irresponsible.
Once Parliament has been dissolved, it will be under a caretaker government and there cannot be any policy commitments by the old regime.
Hopeful123: Yes, it is not a wise thing to throw such monetary goodies when the elections are close by, just to win votes.
At the rate things are going, one wonders whether the government can pay pensions and civil servants salaries.
Patients are being asked to buy their own medicines at government hospitals. It is very scary and the future for our children and coming generations looks rather bleak.
Fairplayer: One percent or even two percent pension raise is nothing to shout about.
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave RM200 increase across the board. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also followed suit by giving another RM200 increase across the board to all pensioners.
For pensioners getting RM1,000 and below monthly, it will take 10 years or more to reach that same RM200 increase. Go figure.
Bluemountains: As a pensioner, I will get RM22. But I have to pay RM270 for medicines which were previously free. My wife will get RM15, but she has to pay RM150 for medicines which were also previously free.
How can the government call it a benefit and expect us to be loyal?
Kamaapo: The already too-bloated bureaucracy is being again overfed. This is unproductive. It is one more big load on the public coffers.
Our public health sector needs more allocations. Overcrowded and long waiting times to see specialists, at times for several months in general hospitals.
This is a very talentless way to curry for votes. Prices could increase in tandem. Prime minister, how about the already-suffocating B40 private sector workers? No concern of yours? A just, decent pay for them is too long overdue.
Sure, the 92-year-old retiree very badly needs this one percent increment. It’s a windfall for him. We hope that he will now thankfully vote BN in GE14.
Vent: This outright bribery puts paid to the possibility of a Malay tsunami coupled by the arduous efforts of the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to deregister Bersatu.
Perhaps the regime is also ruing the fact now that the civil service is only packed with Malays with no possibility of bribing the non-Malay vote?
Quigonbond: How much BN is throwing taxpayers' money at certain segments of society to buy their votes/loyalty - and by today's count, it is billions of ringgit - is a testament to Pakatan Harapan's strength and BN's fears.
Voters should take the money because it's a gift by Malaysian taxpayers, not BN, to you. But please, vote with your conscience.
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