Friday, September 14, 2007

When Budget Figures Don't Tally

A Kadir Jasin

[Anonymous comments will not be posted. Please use your real name or a suitable pseudonym. Please avoid seditious, defamatory and libellous statements. And, if possible, don’t call anybody bodoh (stupid).]

LATEST UPDATE, Sept. 17

UPON closer scrutiny, the Finance Ministry’s press statement as quoted by The Star raised some very disturbing posers.

Comparing the various key figures in the Prime Minister’s budget speech and the Treasury Economic Reports for 2007/2008 and 2006/2007, the following facts and posers surfaced concerning the development allocation:

1. In his 2007 budget speech, the Prime Minister, who is also Finance Minister and Minister of Internal Security, gave the development expenditure as RM46.5 billion. The Treasury’s estimate was RM44.51 billion. In the 2007/2008 Treasury Report, that figure was revised downward to RM40.87 billion. (see Table 1);

Table 1: Source Treasury Economic Report 2007/08 (click to enlarge)
2. In short, the Treasury estimated the 2007 development expenditure to be RM44.51 billion. The Prime Minister raised it to RM46.5 billion in his budget presentation (see extract of PM’s 2007 budget speech). But it was finally revised to RM40.87 billion – a reduction of RM5.63 billion from what the PM had promised;

(Click to enlarge)

3. For 2008, the Treasury estimated the development expenditure to be RM40 billion – lower than in 2007. The Prime Minister promised RM48.1 billion in his budget speech – RM8.1 billion higher than the Treasury’s estimate;

4. Will this higher allocation be revised downward once again to be nearer or even lower than the Treasury’s estimate?;

5. This could happen should government want to meet the reduction in the budget deficit from 3.2 per cent in 2007 to 3.1 per cent in 2008 as outlined by the Prime Minister his budget speech;

6. The Treasury, in forecasting the 3.1 per cent deficit for 2008 was basing on the expenditure of RM40 billion;

7. Why was there such a big gap between the Treasury’s estimate, the Prime Minister’s promise and eventual expenditure for the current year?;

8. Is this a deliberate attempt at dressing up of the budget in the run-up to the general elections or is this a common budget practice?
All or some of these posers may not have been necessary should the Finance Ministry hold a press conference to clarify the matter raised in Parliament instead of merely issuing a press statement.



ORIGINAL POST

THE GOVERNMENT, according to a report in the The Star newspaper on Sept. 13, had given the assurance that the economic corridors that are being developed will not fall into the hands of foreigners.

It quoted the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as telling the Parliament that the government “had made sure developments were planned and monitored by a supervisory body and other agencies such as Khazanah Nasional.”

“Although the Government encourages investments to help quicken the development in each Corridor, we will not let any of it fall into foreign hands,” he said.

He was replying to Salahuddin Ayub (PAS - Kubang Kerian) who asked about the fate of the corridors now that foreigners were aggressively investing in them.

These mega development regions may not fall into foreign hands but what about the companies and assets located in them?

It is recalled that after months of assurances (and denials in the mainstream media) that no Malaysian companies had fallen into foreign hands, Abdullah, on Aug. 28, 2006 acknowledged in Kepala Batas that Pantai Holdings Berhad had fallen into Singapore’s hand.

Two weeks earlier Abdullah had denied that Pantai Holdings Berhad had fallen into foreign hands.

The deal, which caused Pantai Holdings Berhad to fall into the hands of Singapore’s Parkway Holdings, was approved by the Treasury, Bank Negara and the Securities Commission – all under the Prime Minister’s control as Finance Minister.

The fiasco forced Khazanah Nasional to spend a huge sum of money to reacquire the company.

Thus Salahuddin and other concerned Malaysians have every reason to fear that more national assets would fall into foreign hands in the Prime Minister’s enthusiasm to launch his own brand of mega projects.

And why should they not worry when two keys documents relating to the recently presented 2008 Budget gave two very different figures for the same expenditure?

While Abdullah in his budget address gave the development expenditure as RM48.12 billion, the Treasury Economic Report put the amount at RM40 billion.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang told reporters at the Parliament Lobby that “the additional RM8.12 billion will affect the budget deficit.”

How this happened could only be described as mystifying as both documents originated from the Finance Ministry and bore Abdullah's signature.

We cannot take these discrepancies lightly as they affect our interest while at the same time reflecting the lack of seriousness for truth and accuracy among our leaders and their key staff.

UPDATE Sept.15

Following is The Star report dated Sept.15 on the explanation by the Finance Ministry:

Finance Ministry clarifies figures in report

PETALING JAYA: The Finance Ministry has clarified that the 2008 Development Expenditure allocation (RM48.1bil) and estimated Development Expenditure (RM40bil) shown in the Economic Report are not contradictory figures in achieving the Government’s targeted fiscal deficit of 3.1% for next year.

A statement released by the ministry explained that the fiscal target was based on the estimated development expenditure, which represented the Government’s best estimate of actual expenditure in 2008.

At the same time, however, the Government was also proposing an allocation of RM48.1bil for 2008, the statement added.

“Typically, there is a shortfall when comparing estimated actual expenditure against the allocation sought for development expenditure.

“Having these two different numbers is not contradictory and does not in any way imply that the deficit target of 3.1% will not be met,” it said.

It was also exemplified that in the year 2007, the estimated development expenditure was RM40.9bil, while its allocation was RM46.5bil.

The statement further read that the RM40bil estimated for 2008 was consistent with the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) ceiling of RM200bil (which translated to an average of RM40bil per year for the five-year plan).

“For the 9MP, whereby to accelerate implementation, large allocations are provided to facilitate the various implementing agencies to proceed with projects and programmes planned for the coming year.

“However, the actual progress on projects may not reach the planned stretched targets, resulting in an overall shortfall of actual expenditure.

“In this event, the Government has the sufficient flexibility to make the necessary adjustments to meet its targeted fiscal deficit,” it read.

48 comments:

kekure said...

Assalamualaikum
IMHO Pak Lah should take some time off so that he could have his 'me time' and regroup himself. I suppose he's trying to hard to manipulate us all.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Kekure,

Just curious, for which of the following does your IHMO stands for --- In My Humble Opinion, In My Honest Opinion, In My Holy Opinion, In My Highest Opinion, In My Hesitating Opinion?

Thank you for the thoughts anyway.

Kat Rahmat said...

Sir,

I can't help but notice you putting the date for Pak Lah's admittance of Pantai going to Singapore as August 28th of 2007 - if I'm not mistaken didn't it all happen last year, 2006?

Kat Rahmat said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

selepas dia memalukan diri sendiri di majlis perasmian kemerdekaan di Sarawak baru2 ini dengan tidur secara live melalui TV1, kali nie terjadi lagiperistiwa memalukan dimana apayg diucapkan tak sama dengan apa yg tertulis didalam laporan. Adakah zaman tun dulu terjadi begini.. adakah dizaman sebelum tun terjadi perkara yg begini? sungguh malu...

kekure said...

In my humble opinion..i don't have much ground in politics to say something like in my hesitating opinion.

Tq and selamat ramadhan

affendi hussain said...

Salam sejahtera..

Hmm.. fishy indeed..someone definitely sleeping while doing his homework..

or

that someone let somebody to do his homework on behalf and said nobody to be blame for the error and anybody can done that too, but at the stake of everybody..

typical of him..

macam mana meniaga ni Pak Lah?? 'balance sheet' pun tak betul..kalo dalam syarikat dah lama CEO macam ni kena paksa letak jawatan..silap2 Board of Directors pecat..

dlm Malaysia Incorporated..siapa share holder? sudah tentulah rakyat pembayar cukai..redhakah kita dpt CEO mcm ni nk uruskan syarikat dengan barisan pengurus & senior eksekutif 'halfpastsix' yg dilantik CEO??

jangan jadi Pak Pandir sudah lah.. ayam menang kampung tergadai!

wasallam

Celoteh Ezri said...

Public are exposed with stories. And now the are certain that the stories are true.
Now the public is waiting for what is the next truth that will be revealed. It is just like what Abdul Wahub has done to his father in law Sadiq Segaraga. The only thing that Sadiq can say "Apa Pulak...".

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Kat Rahmat,

Thank you. It was Aug. 28 last year.

My apologies.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Kat Rahmat,

Correction has been made. Thank you for alerting me.

zainal abidin awang kechik said...

saya ada menulis tiga hari lepas..

KALAU DI Jepun ABE dah letak jawantan.. di takdirkan ALLAH ABE telah pun letak jawatan..

tok.. mungkin TAN SRI NOOR.. letih puasa syaaban kut..

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Zurich berada di mana; di dalam negara atau di Makkah?

Kerana takdir segala-galanya boleh berlaku.

Ketika Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dilantik TPM, saya menulis sebuah rencana dalam Utusan Malaysia mengatakan bahawa itu adalah kehendak takdir.

Meletak jawatan kerana tidak lagi mendapat sokongan atau tidak berdaya lagi mentadbir seperti yang dilakukan oleh Abe bukan amalan politik Malaysia.

Sebab itulah bila Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad secara mengejut mengumumkan hasrat meletak jawatan, ramai pembesar Umno terkejut sehingga meraung dan menitiskan air mata.

Tapi bila dia bersara dan tegur kerja mereka yang tak betul, mereka kutuk dia habis-habisan. Itu tradisi politik Malaysia...ada kuasa dipuja, tiada kuasa dicerca.

Terima kasih.

Rockybru said...

in my hazardous opinion, datuk kadir, the budget is a good budget. honestly. it has to be a good budget. when you gather the best brains in the country to come up with a document mapping out what kind of money to spend where in the coming year, you should come up with a fairly good to honestly good, and even very good, document.
and that's when i mean whenever someone asks me, "what do you think of the budget?"

but will the budget be good to my economy, your economy, and our economy?

we can answer this question by looking at what new policies this budget has in store. there aren't too many new ones, so that's ok. in my blog the other day, i posted about a new policy requiring PLCs to divulge their manpower's racial and gender composition from next year. and i asked, what is that supposed to be for and how is that going to be good for the PLCs and for us labourers.

we can also answer the question by looking at the administration's track record. in this case, i look at pak lah's record in terms of managing the economy in the last 3 years. and i concluded that i won't put too much hope in the 2008 budget.

in one sentence, the budget is trying too hard to please.

and then, there's the problem of numbers that don't tally. and pak lah's assurance that sound so hollow in the light of the pantai hospital debacle that you have so aptly illustrated.

Anonymous said...

I can't understand how the government can ensure the proposed corridors will not be in the hands of foreigners. The only way to ensure that is to use your own money instead of inviting people to invest in these corridors. In simple layman term, 'no free lunch in this world'.

I am of the opinion that if the country can prosper because of foreign investments which added value to the economy, why not?

Anonymous said...

Dear Datuk,
Selamat berpuasa.
RM8.1bil is a HUGE discrepancy.
That is 8,100,000,000.
Eight thousand one hundred MILLIONs..
It's not just a figure on a piece of paper signed by PM.
It's kinda serious when the two main reports don't gel.
Which can mean a few things
1. PM cerita dongeng again n actually cannot fund budget
2. PM plans to get FDI (selling country)
3. PM din see the diff....
4. Treasury n PM's men are fighting so Treasury refuse to layan PM's additional req of RM8,100,000,000.
5. Super-fighting going on n cover-ups so major that even same UMNO cronies have to expose PM incompetence...
so shy, can't even get our budget right..........

Berita dari gunung said...

cikokui kata ada orang terlena di Sarawak.

Ingat tak masa kita sekolah dulu. Ada masa-masa terlentuk jugak. Siap tongkat dagu lagi. Letih, boring, tak minat, tak faham sebijik habuk adalah antara faktur penyebab. Dalam kelas pelajar lena atas kerusi kayu/plastik keras.

Kalau atas kerusi lembut, apa lagi!!, jangan cakap la.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Pak Lah The Mathematician, in part, said:

"Super-fighting going on n cover-ups so major that even same UMNO cronies have to expose PM incompetence...
so shy, can't even get our budget right..."

Pardon me for not saying at the outset that the discrepancy was noted by BN backbenchers.

The Star report says: "GOVERNMENT backbenchers had informed the Treasury about an alleged discrepancy in the development allocation announced in the Prime Minister’s Budget speech and the amount stated in the Economic Report.

"While debating on the Budget, Razali Ibrahim (BN-Muar) said the Budget was only a proposal and there could be mistakes.

“But we, backbenchers, knew about the mistake and have alerted the Treasury about it,” he said.

Alerting the Treasury, to my mind, is as good as alerting the PM as he's the Finance Minister.

I am happy that BN MPs are speaking up. This not about one man, but about 24 million people.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Dear Dato,

Tahun 1998. Saya baru mula berkerja dan menikmati hidup sebagai dewasa yang berdikari. Pada masa itu kecoh di rata-rata tempat dibincangkan tentang kegawatan ekonomi Asia. Katanya Korea Selatan dah teruk dan hampir tumbang. Thailand pula mula goyah. Di dada-dada akhbar terpampang kisah tentang ahli korporat di Bangkok menjual sandwic di tepi jalan dan graduan menjual kacang rebus serta memandu teksi. Semua angkara kegawatan ekonomi. Di Malaysia juga, pada masa itu, disebut sebut tentang ekonomi yang gawat, tentang matawang yang sedang diserang hebat sehingga hampir tidak terdaya kerajaan kita bertarung menghalang kejatuhan nilainya.

Namun sebagai orang muda yang masih agak mentah ketika itu, saya tidak begitu mengambil tahu secara terperinci tentang krisis yang sedang melanda negara kita. Yang saya ingat, Malaysia terus tenang terus aman. Walaupun akhbar dan berita tv kecoh bercerita tentang masalah-masalah ekonomi, saya tidak begitu merasai kesannya pada ketika itu. Bila lepak di Bangsar, samada di warong tepi jalan atau di tempat mewah seperti Coffee Bean (masa tu belum ada Starbucks), saya perhatikan di keliling saya meja meja lain tetap penuh. Begitu juga di kompleks membeli belah. Orang ramai terus ceria.. terus “oblivious” tentang keadaan sebenar yang sememangnya mencemaskan. Nyata warga korporat terasa bahang kegawatan itu, dan ada yang jatuh tersungkur, dari segi kewangan nya tinggal nyawa-nyawa ikan sebelum padam selama-lamanya. Tapi secara amnya, rakyat Malaysia tidak begitu tertampar dengan kegawatan ekonomi Asia yang sedang melakar sejarah hitam buat rantau ini pada ketika itu.

Kini barulah saya sedar bahawa persepsi ketenangan itu adalah sebenarnya hasil dari perancangan rapi oleh kepimpinan yang bijaksana yang berpandangan luas dan jauh. Itulah Dato Seri (kini Tun) Dr. Mahathir Mohamad Perdana Malaysia yang disanjungi ramai ketika itu. Saya masih ingat perbualan saya dan rakan-rakan pada suatu petang Ogos 1998… dengan penuh “konfiden” kami bersetuju bahawa tidak ada apa yang perlu dirisaukan. Dr. Mahathir pasti tahu menyelesaikan nya.

Aduhh…nostalgia sunguh bila mengenangkan kembali. Kata Mat Salleh “those were simpler times”. Rakyat Malaysia tak perlu risau. Semuanya pasti akan di “settle”kan oleh Perdana Menteri kebanggaan kita. And true enough. Dr.Mahathir tidak mengecewakan rakyat nya. Sepertimana yang dijangkakan, Dr.Mahathir menemui jalan keluar dari kemelut ekonomi itu dengan caranya yang unik dan tersendiri…. Tidak perlu saya huraikan disini. Semuanya telah menjadi sejarah yang “well-documneted”, yang mana kisah hebat penyelesaian ekonomi Dr.Mahathir itu dijadikan “case study” ilmiah di Harvard Business School hingga ke hari ini.

Demikian lah di zaman Tun Dr. Mahathir dahulu. Sehingga kegawatan ekonomi pun tidak terasa oleh rakyat kebanyakan, kerana dilindungi dengan cekap oleh pemimpin yang bijaksana. Dr. Mahathir menyangkal teori ekonomi semasa dan melakukan sebaliknya. Beliau menolak kenaikan faedah pada pinjaman supaya peniaga-peniaga tidak kelemasan membayar bunga yang melambung akibat susut nilai wang ringgit; dan Beliau memastikan rakyat mendapat imbuhan wang agar ada aliran tunai dalam ekonomi. Maka dengan itu rakyat tidak terasa bahang kegawatan ekonomi, dan perniagaan-perniagaan terus boleh menjalankan aktiviti mereka kerana tidak berlaku kekeringan dana dalam pasaran. Itulah antara lain kebiaksanaan Dr. Mahathir menangani kegawatan ekonomi, selain menutup seketika ekonomi kita agar tidak terus dibinasa oleh penyangak matawang.

Hebatnya pemimpin ketika itu sehingga Kegawatan Ekonomi serantau pun tidak dirasai oleh rakyat bawahan dengan terlalu ketara.

Fast forward ke tahun 2007. Tidak ada lagi keyakinan rakan-rakan saya terhadap pemimpin. Nak cakap pasal masa depan pun dah tak konfiden. PM ada dalam negara atau tak ada dalam negara ,sama saja. Bukan sahaja rasa bangga pada pemimpin sudah langsung lesap, rasa malu pulak semakin ketara. Apa tidaknya? Dok tengok dia asyik tidur aje. Kalau tak tidur pun dok melalut tak tentu hala. Ucapan tak pernah ada isi yang solid. Ucapan Merdeka 50 tahun pun terpekik-pekik macam orang...kurang terdidik.

Sementara itu, ura-ura kata harga minyak nak naik lagi kerana harganya di pasaran dunia melonjak. Aduuuh…Yang kena penampar kenaikan harga tahun lepas tu belum pun hilang lagi perit nya, daaaah nak kena tampar lagi sekali. Aduuuh…..

Harga ayam pulak dah melantun melampau lampau. Petang tadi terkejut beruk diri ini bila mendapati harga ayam percik (untuk buka puasa) seketul dah mencecah RM5! LIMA RINGGIT SEKETUL AYAM!! MasyaAllah….! Ini kalau nak kira( in relative terms, dollar for dollar) dah lebih mahal dari harga makanan di kota London! No way I can afford this regularly. Nampaknya Malaysia akan jadi macam dulu la… ayam dengan daging jadi satu ‘luxury’, makanan golongan kaya dan elite sahaja. Orang bawahan makan ikan kembong, dengan sayur. cukup.

Ni tak masuk cerita kenaikan harga benda benda lain lagi… tol naik, teh tarik naik, beras naik…semua naik. (and of course everyone knows the joke about anu orang tu pun naik sebab kawin lagi sekali.. haha hmmmm…. Nak gelak pun tak daya.)

And yet ini semua berlaku dalam keadaan ekonomi cukup baik sekali menurut kata kerajaan. Tiada kegawatan. Tiada masalah. Unjuran pertumbuhan tahun ini pun turun sikit aje dari tahun lepas.

Funny kan? 1998 masa kegawatan ekonomi Asia, rakyat biasa tak terasa sangat perit pedih nya. Siap protected lagi… tiada gangguan cara hidup. Tapi 2007, tiada crisis, tiada downturn… tapi rakyat terseksa gila. Di semua peringkat rakyat terasa peningkatan kos sara hidup, dan kekurangan daya beli…

Apa dah jadi ni? Isn’t anyone doing something about this? Tidak kah pemimpin kita tahu bahawa nun jauh dibawah sana, beribu-ribu kaki di bawah mahligai bersayapnya yang bernama Airbus, rakyat sedang semakin tersempit? Tidak kah dia tahu bahawa walaupun saudara maranya sedang cemerlang mengaut keuntungan (sampai ada yang dah layak dipanggil Billionaire, katanya… wallahu a’lam), rakyat biasa ramai yang terasa bahang kenaikan harga hampir semua barang-barang keperluan harian? Lupa kah dia bahawa bukan semua orang hidup senang seperti dia: dengan elaun keraian tiada batasan dan gaji hampir tidak disentuh kerana semuanya ditanggung kerajaan? If he doesn’t have a clue, then who exctly is running the show here?

Aduuh… sedihnya saya mengenangkan nasib negara… nasib saya… nasib rakyat biasa macam kita ni.

Saya teringat satu ayat dari filem Hollywood, yang disebut ketika menceritakan tentang seorang raja yang tidak langsung berupaya mentadbir negaranya, tetapi tetap berdegil mempertahankan kedudukannya. (Sementara itu orang disekelilingnya bermaharaja lela, merompak dan memporak porandakan negara itu). Ayatnya timbul bila salah seorang watak bertanya “what is the king doing? He’s there isnt he? He sees whats happening?”. Jawab seorang watak yang lain “ He’s there but he’s not there. The lights are on but nobody’s home.”

Begitulah agaknya Malaysia hari ini. Begitula, gamaknya, keadaan kantor pemimpin tertinggi. The lights are on… but nobody’s home. Semoga Allah membantu kita semua dan meyelamatkan Malaysia.

wassalam

Cikokui said...

Sdr Kersani,

wow... sungguh seronok membaca komen saudara. penuh dgn kenangan, harapan , kesedihan, penyesalan dan rasa geram.

izinkan saya jadikan ia dari komen kepada satu artikel kerana ia mmg sesuai menjadi artikel.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Dear all,

It's disappointing that I am unable to publish some very fair commenents in favour of the PM and condemning those who crticised him because they are sent anonymously.

I see no reason why anybody should be ashamed or fearful when defending the government or the PM.

Thank you.

Rockybru said...

I can understand why they are ashamed of this government.

But I can't understand why they'd want to defend something they are ashamed of.

Tq.

Anonymous said...

Ahirudin Attan:

I can understand why they are ashamed of this government.

But I can't understand why they'd want to defend something they are ashamed of.


LOL!

Nice one, Rocky! :D

freelittlebrain said...

The economy system in which we are practicing is neither from western countries or Islamic countries but with the communist elements. While we are molding new type of system, it tends to be a new characteristic of the system that is the room for differentiation of figures in which reflecting by the RM 8.1 billion. This is the strategic figures in which we can manipulate or rather adjustable it neither for fiscal or monetary purposes but political agenda? As politics is the art of impossible? So from this aspect, I think the statement “In this event, the Government has the sufficient flexibility to make the necessary adjustments to meet its targeted fiscal deficit,” should be justified.
Thank you.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Mekyam, LOL to Rocky aka Ahirudin.

Which is it now ....laughing out loud, lots of laughs or lots of love?

It's fine if we have the last laugh.

What if we are not?

Sdr Kersani, thank you for the thoughtful comment.

But is nostalgia alone enough to change things?

I think we need action. Tun is not here to figth for us forever. But he had taught us how to fight.

Think!

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

AJK:
Mekyam, LOL to Rocky aka Ahirudin.

Which is it now ....laughing out loud, lots of laughs or lots of love?

It's fine if we have the last laugh.


Dear Tok,

Afraid it's laughing out loud.

Call it my urat geli accidently tersentuh in a serious moment by Rocky's repartee.

Call it a nervous reaction, perhaps bordering on a touch of hysteria, to read about something as serious a nation's budget not even deserving accurate calculations. So arrogant are the "keepers of the people's coffer" that they don't even pretend at balancing the dashed thing anymore.

No Tok, I hope but don't think we the people are going to have the last laugh with this budget. In fact I think more tears are in store... perhaps that's why (like most of our countrymen, I think) I unconsciously took my humour wherever I could. :C

P.S. Tok, I hope it's not uncustomary irritability I sensed. But if it is, given the situation, I don't blame you at all. Selamat Berpuasa!

Anonymous said...

Dear Datuk,

Tks for clarification.

Finance Ministry is talking rubbish. You either use the 3.1% target or not...if u increase the development expenditure ceteris paribus...the deficit will go UP!

dun waffle between actual and projected cos BOTH documents are PROJECTIONS - one with a higher deficit than the other!

OI!

our sporean frens laughing at us now...can't even get budget right...

Anonymous said...

pak lah The Mathematician,
Can ask your singapuran friends tell me, a Kaki Kepala Batas, why Malaysia should should need a deficit budget?

so akhirudin atan, too,
what would be a less pleasing budget? Tolong cerita boleh atau komen kedai kopi?

Bakar Bendera!?
No problem.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Kaki Kepala Batas,

Bakar bendera IS A PROBLEM.

You don't burn the national flag because you're angry with Umno, the BN and the Government.

You burn the Umno's or BN's flags if you want.

If you're agry with Pas, burn Pas's flag.

And if it's the police that you're angry with, it is it right to burn the police flag?

Maybe if you're angry with Malaysia, you burn the Malaysian flag.

That's if you're a foreigner.

Burning things is not the best way to protest. Arson is illegal. So is open burning!

No matter how angry we are with somobody, it's not the reason to burn the symbol of our country and our nation.

As for police refusing to issue ceramah permits to the Oppositions and roughing up protestors, please read Suhakam and Suruhanjaya Di Raja reports on the subject.

Thank you.

Celoteh Ezri said...

How do we fight Dato'?
If anybody suggesting 'through votes', I would say they have political interest. One with interest cannot change anything. Sincerity only can move a society.
How could you be sincere unless you have nothing to gain and nothing to loose.
Politics in those days are much simpler. We want MERDEKA. But now it is too complicated as every individual who is in politics has their own agenda and mission. Whether they are in opposition or ruling party.
I knew a millionaire uncle who is living in Penang who is also a mountain biker enthusiast. He keep encouraging the young to get involved with this sport. As we all know mountain bikes are not cheap and many cannot afford the same. So the uncle bought some of the bikes for them to borrow.
He was praised by The tourism Minister who does not know who he is, as for his age, he is still active biking. He bluntly reply, "you should not praise me as many of the young who has great potential but are deprived from being the best as they cannot afford to buy even the bicycles".
He fights for the cause that he believe could change the live of few with hope that they could change the life of others. It is a fight of passion.
I have urges to utter words and comments straight from the heart but I believe nothing will change and no good will it bring.
Until we create more people like Dato' who is independent in giving opinions, views and also influential, we cannot change anything.
Whatever people say, I could see sincerity in Tun's eyes in fighting for a cause that he believes, regardless whether it could be right or wrong by definition of the public, to be right and should be fought. Words that touches the heart has more value and such words could only be uttered in sincerity.

Zainal A. Kasim said...

Dato'

Pada pandangan saya, persoalan ini sewajarnya di jawab oleh PM sebaik sahaja ianya dibangkitkan. Dengan meminta Menteri Kewangan Ke2 untuk menjawab memberi gambaran bahawa PM "bersetuju" berlakunya kesilapan dan menunjukkan PM tidak "hands-on".

Sedangkan jawapannya senangnya sahaja iaitu peruntukan diluluskan adalah sebanyak RM48 billion dan perbelanjaan "dijangkakan" pula adalah RM40 billion. Itu sebab wujudnya perbezaan. Kan senang tu.

www.c-bok.blogspot.com

the indie story said...

saya dengar pencarum kwsp...dibayar kemudahan setiap bulan untuk bayar beli rumah. Wah! kalau begitu baguslah. Dan saya saya dengar juga gaji kakitangan kerajaan dan naik. WaH! bagus...bagus. Macam ini lah yang kita suka. Tapi saya ada kemusykilan sikit, yang undi BN kakitangan kerajaan saja ke? Macam mana dengan yang lain? Minyak petrol naik semua terbeban. Barang naik pun semua kena sama.

Tapi apapun saya dengan rendah hati dan buang segala ego...ucapkan bebanyak terima kasih kepada Dato Sri Abdullah hj Ahmad Badawi diatas pertolongan belanjawan kali ini.

Terima Kasih Pak Lah!

Yang baik kena sokong...

p/s: sekurang-kurang harga rokok tak naik...harap2 sampai tahun depan...

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Kaki Kepala Batas said...

pak lah The Mathematician,
Can ask your singapuran friends tell me, a Kaki Kepala Batas, why Malaysia should should need a deficit budget?


Sdr Kaki Kepala Batas,
It's obvious u r definitely PM's kaki cos your question also indicates limited intelligence (kepala batas).

I believe PM said he wants to reduce deficit. Instead our deficit is now the highest in terms of percentage of GDP in the region. Syabas!

Regarding my sporean frens, they are laughing too hard at our latest budget to respond...:D After the bridge fiasco, now this, what next!

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sudara Zurich,

Selamat berpuasa dan dan selamat menunaikan Umrah.

Saya tidak akan siarkan komen saudara buat sementara.

Bukan saya tidak percayakan Saudara, tetapi saya khuatir mengenai petikan Al-Quran.

Bukan saya takut saudara tak betul tetapi kerana saya yang jahil.

Namun saya ambil maklum komen saudara yang mengesankan yang berbunyi:

"Tok, di Makkah saya belajar 3 perkara dalam agama. 1. Ayat, 2. Riwayat dan 3. Hikayat.

"Ada satu yang diceritakan oleh (seorang) ulama besar di sini..Tok (yakni),

"....apabila seseorang pemimpin bersedia untuk membuat keputusan..ia perlu menggunakan hukum dan peraturan sebagai paksi kepada keputusannya.

"Jangan sekali-kali menggunakan nafsu sebagai sumber kepada keputusan yang dibuat ... saya kongsikan bersama dengan Tok...selamat tarawih."

Saudara Zurich, saya akan cuba pastikan ayat Al-Quran itu. Kalau saya berjaya dan ayat itu tepat, saya akan siarkan.

Kita blogger dan pengulas blog kena berhati-hati sebab sentiasa diperhatikan.

Terima kasih.

Anonymous said...

“Typically, there is a shortfall when comparing estimated actual expenditure against the allocation sought for development expenditure."

If the estimated actual expenditure is already determined based on every available information, then why does the allocation sought differs so much?

Could this somewhat be attributed to a new culture of Government bugdet and spending?

-Lifeboat

Anonymous said...

Pak Lah The Mathematician(plth),

I believe PM said he wants to reduce deficit. Instead our deficit is now the highest in terms of percentage of GDP in the region. Syabas!

Yes, I am of very limited intelligence. How erudite of you! Alhamdulillah.

That is why the question was asked:
should there be the need for the deficit budget? Why?
Can you do a better job, plth?
Where is the danger in deficit budget, where is Malaysia with her deficit bugets, plth?

Why, are these silly questions?

Still, have you no answers, pltm?
Perhaps then you care to point me to a site where an explaination on Malaysian economics is analysed and made easy to understand for one of limitied intelligence; for where is the fiasco? The differences in the reportings surrounding the budget or the budget itself?

As for the bridge, we will cross it when we get there? Or have we let the 'fiasco' left hanging while the waters flow beneath?

As for Singapurans laughing - why, let them laugh. Are the Israelis laughing, too? The Americans? The Chinese? Laughter is the best medicine, isn't it, plth? So give a better rigole with a tear at the budget fiasco, plth.

If you too think that a no answer, plth, is funny, then let it be so.

Terima kasih, The Scribe, for the up-date.

Anonymous said...

Alahai Datuk!

Perbezaan mesti ada. Dan udahpun dimaklumkan oleh Backbenchers kepada pihak yang bertanggungjawab. Dalam pada itu, perbezaan juga mencerminkan ketidakpastian atau kurang perhatian dan kurang cermat pihak yang membuatnya terlebih dahulu. Kalau yang membuat keputusan itu setakat ketua cawangan Umno, mungkin impaknya tak seberapa. Tapi kalau ketua negara, bayangkan sajalah...

Namun, ini mungkin bukan kecuaian. Ini cuma mungkin terlepas pandang. Tetapi ia amat mendukacitakan. Atau mungkin juga ini konsisten dengan pihak yang membentangkan bajet berkenaan. Pada jumaat lepas, PM kita bersembahyang Jumaat di Masjid Negara. Ramai yang gembira melihat beliau masuk ke masjid. Sayangnya, dia terlewat. Dia masuk ke masjid sedang khatib membaca khutbah. Malah khatib sudah sampai ke bahagian dua khutbah! Dan kalau tak silap saya, khutbah adalah tinag kepada solat Jumaat. Barangsiapa yang tidak memberi perhatian atau bercakap2 atau tidak hadir dengan awal untuk mendengar khutbah, maka gugurlah apa juga faedah yang harus diperolehi pada solat Jumaat itu.

Saya percaya PM bukan sengaja mahu lambat. Dia terlambat. Tetapi kelewatan sebegini bukanlah pula satu perkara yang jarang berlaku baginya. Ramai mengetahui bahawa beliau sering lambat dan tidak mengikuti masa, atau tidak menghormati masa.

Oleh yg demikian, perbezaan angka bajet adalah konsisten dengan tabiat kurang penelitian YAB kita. Mudah-mudahan ini akan berubah selepas Ramadhan ini. Selamat berpuasa!

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Kawan,

Saya solat di Masjid Negara minggu lalu dan yang saudara katakan itu benar.

Khutbah mengenai peranan angkatan tentera sempena Hari Angkatan Tentera.

Benar PM tiba lewat. Ramai anggota ATM daripada pelbagai cabang bersolat Jumaat di situ. Mereka sedar hal itu.

Saya bukan orang agama. Tapi sikit-sikit tahulah. Antara ciri-ciri integriti atau kesempurnaan solat Jumaat adalah mendengar khutbah.

Begitu juga integriti belanjawan. Harus ada kaitan yang rapi antara anggaran peruntukan dengan apa yang akhirnya dibelanjakan.

Tak guna umumkan anggaran perbelanjaan yang besar tetapi tidak dibelanjakan. Ia akan menjejas segala unjuran yang berkaitan dengan anggaran itu.

Seperti Sdr sedia maklum, integriti adalah hasil tsunami pemikiran PM sendiri. Malah ada badan khas mempromosikan integriti iaitu Institut Integriti Nasional.

Sdr Zurich, kalau boleh mohon nyatakan surah dan ayat yang ke berapa yang saudara petik itu.

Adakah yang anda maksudkan itu Abu Ayub Al-Ansari?

Terima kasih semua.

affendi hussain said...

Salam sejahtera kepada semua,

Nampaknya banyak juga komentar yg suka berselindung dgn nama anonymous sedangkan terang2 diawal posting Dato AKJ dah nyatakan takkan layan komen anynomous tak bernama langsung..(sehingga terpaksa di delete)..tak kiralah anonymous itu memihak kpd siapa.

Mengapa perlu sembunyi tangan apabila baling batu jika sasaran yang dituju itu betul? cth: macam baling binatang liar untuk tujuan menghalau , melindungi diri atau menjatuhkan buah dari atas pokok?

No sense on accountability or even responsibility? No guts? Why? Takut walaupun benar?Pelik..

Saya sendiri bangga guna nama sebenar.. sekurang-kurang nya jika 'mati dibunuh' di medan cyber inipun akan tertera nama "mohd affendi" pada nisan sendiri.. kalau tiada nama apa nak diletak pada nisan? anonymous? Jon Doe? Jendul? tarak nama? sejenis manusia ? :D

Apa ada pada nama?? Allah sendiri ada 99 nama..mengapa ada manusia manusia tidak mahu dikaitkan dengan nama?

apa bezanya dengan kucing liar tak bernama yang mati dilanggar kereta tepi jalan..mati mereput sendirian..

Anjing bertuan & bernama menyalak dilihat sbg melindungi harta tuannya..anjing liar menyalak di lihat liar dan gila, boleh mengancam keselamatan org lain..

Mati kucing atau anjing pun jika berkolar dan ada nama tertera, pasti jika ada yang kenal akan maklumkan kepada org yg akan mengenang dan menangisi pemergiaannya..inikan manusia.

Hidup biar bernama...
Berkubur biar bernisan!

wasallam

cre8tif said...

saudara moderator;

harga rokok memang telah naik; it has gone up a few percent way way before the budget announcement ;-)

Anonymous said...

Semalam tengok Buletin Utama sebelum ke surau ada cerita pasal Koridor Pantai Timur pulak (Kel, T'ganu & Pahang).... Berapa banyak koridor pulak da...... Yang Johor WPI belum belum nampak hasil dah nak buat third koridor. Dengar cerita Sabah Sarawak pun dok sibuk nak koridor jugak....

Betul ke orang Melayu dapat untung dari koridor ni....???? Atau takut jadi macam pak Kaduk.

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr AC,

Sebelum ada label hadhari, sudah ada Islam. Jadi Islam Hadhari itu hanyalah penjenamaan semula atau "rebranding" Islam.

Saya berpegang kepada pendapat bahawa Islam adalah diluar daripada penjenamaan atau branding.

Sebelum ada koridor, sudah ada pembangunan -- pembagungan in situ, pembagungan wilayah dan pembangunan bersepadu.

Koridor hanyalah penjenamaan semula atau rebranding yang nampaknya menjadi keghairahan pemerintah sekarang.

Dalam bahasa Inggeris, corridor adalah laluan (passage) di darat, laut atau udara untuk perjalanan dari satu tempat ke tempat yang lain, seperti koridor raya multimedia (MSC).

WPI, koridor pembangunan utara dan timur bukan laluan sebenarnya. Ia lebih berupa wilayah pembangunan besar yang membabitkan banyak negeri negeri.

Sama ada Melayu akan mendapat faedah atau tidak bergantung kepada banyak faktor. Antaranya sama ada janji pemerintah ditunaikan atau tidak.

Tak guna anggaran belanjawan yang besar kalau yang dibelanjakan kecil.

Terima kasih.

Anonymous said...

Assalamualaikum Dato'

Dato' AKJ said, "Sebelum ada label hadhari, sudah ada Islam. Jadi Islam Hadhari itu hanyalah penjenamaan semula atau "rebranding" Islam.

Saya berpegang kepada pendapat bahawa Islam adalah diluar daripada penjenamaan atau branding".

Dato'

Islam Politik Dan Politik Islam, dua perkataan berbeza digabungkan dan ditukarkan kedudukannya. Apakah makna serta definasi yang jelas antara keduanya?

Pada pemahaman saya yang cetek ilmu , sekali pandang dari segi bahasa nya saya berpendapat “Islam Politik” adalah politik yang memperagakan Islam untuk kepentingan politik manakala “Politik Islam” adalah satu bidang ilmu pengetahuan tentang sistem politik dan pemerintahan dalam Islam. Sekiranya istilah “Islam Politik”ini digunapakai oleh pemimpin Islam,maka ianya mempunyai kecenderungan untuk mendapat manfaat politik diri sendiri. Sekiranya istilah ini digunapakai oleh pemimpin bukan Islam yang menentang Islam, jelaslah ianya tujuan untuk memecahbelahkan masyarakat Islam. Adalah jelas bahawa kedua-duanya menyentuh dan memperkatakan mengenai Islam tetapi hakikatnya berbeza matlamat. Perumpamaan yang jelas adalah seperti RIAK dan IKHLAS.

Di dalam memperagakan Islam, kita lihat banyak istilah-istilah atau perkataan-perkataan atau slogan-slogan yang ditokoktambah kepada perkataan Islam itu sendiri supaya bunyi sebutannya nampak gah dan hebat. Kita pernah baca istilah Islam Kontemporari, Islam Moden, Islam Fundamentalis, Islam Moderate, Islam Terbuka, Islam Toleransi, Islam Radikal, Islam Klasik dan lain-lain lagi. Tidak cukup dengan itu, Islam juga dikaitkan dengan zaman pemerintahan Islam seperti Islam zaman Rasul, Islam zaman Khulafa’ Ar-Rasyidin, Islam zaman Umawi, Abbasi, Uthmani,dan lain-lain lagi. Juga dipadankan dengan puak seperti Islam Sunni, Islam Syiah, Islam India, Islam Arab dan Islam Indonesia. Seolah-olah, Islam-islam ini mempunyai pegangan ideologi baru, kepercayaan dan kefahaman yang tersendiri yang tidak lagi bersandarkan Kitab dan As-Sunnah.

Seorang pemikir Islam seperti Dr.Yusuf Qardawi bila ditanya mengenai istilah “Islam Politik” dari segi syarak, beliau dengan tegas menjawab “Istilah ini adalah ditolak. Ini adalah kerana ia adalah merupakan rentetan dari perancangan yang diatur oleh musuh Islam yang ingin menjuzukkan Islam dan memporakperandakannya agar is tidak lagi kekal syumul seperti yang diturunkan oleh Allah s.w.t, dan seperti yang dianuti oleh muslimin".

Tambah Dr.Yusof Qardawi, "Sebenarnya semua pembahagian ini adalah ditolak oleh Islam.Tidak ada di sana kecuali satu Islam sahaja dan tidak diakui selainnya. Ia adalah Islam yang pertama iaitu Islam yang berdasarkan Al-Quran dan Sunnah, Islam yang difahami oleh generasi terbaik pada kurun yang terbaik yang terdiri daripada para sahabat dan tabien iaitu mereka yang dipuji oleh Allah dan RasulNya.

Inilah Islam yang sebenarnya sebelum kesuciannya dicemari dengan ekstrimis yang diadakan oleh agama ciptaan manusia, juga khayalan pujangga, rekaan pelbagai kelompok manusia dan hawa nasfu, nukilan orang yang mengingkari hakikat dan juga kedegilan orang yang jahil dalam menegakkan benang yang basahnya.”


Islam apakah lagi yang bakal direkacipta oleh kelompok manusia yang rakus kuasa, tetapi bodoh-sombong di masa-masa akan datang. Mereka lupa bahawa Islam itu agama nasihat dan kehidupan yang sesuai sepanjang zaman. Mereka cuba menyesuaikan Islam dengan perubahan zaman bukannya menyesuaikan perubahan zaman dengan Islam.

Akhir-akhir ini lahir satu lagi Islam baru iaitu Islam Liberal yang kononnya bersikap terbuka dan toleran kepada semua manusia dan agama yang lain….sehingga menggariskan bahawa semua agama itu sama, mempunyai matlamat kearah kebaikan sejagat yang sama! Dalam hal ini, kita banyak menaruh harap kepada pemerintah untuk melakukan sesuatu sebagai seorang pembela agama Islam. Namun, sekiranya mereka juga tidak kurang pula merekacipta istilah, kata-kata, dan slogan baru kepada perkataan Islam itu, apakah harapan kita tercapai? Adalah jelas, tokoktambah kepada Islam itu bukan menanam akidah tauhid yang lebih kukuh, tetapi sebaliknya, lebih menimbulkan kekeliruan dalam kefahaman terhadap Islam.

marn said...

Persoalan:
1. Mungkinkah Abg Lah terlena diulit intan ketika menandatangani segala dokumen?
2. Mungkinkah ada tangan lain yang 'mirip' dan meminjam tangannya untuk menandatangani segala dokumen?
3. Mungkinkah Abg Lah sebenaqnya tidak tidoq, tapi menunggu ILHAM sambil menandatangani dokumen?
4. Mungkinkah sebab nombor '0' banyak sangat sampai terlepas pandang?
5. Mungkinkah semua yang berkemungkinan di atas benar?

Anonymous said...

Sdr Marn,
Salaam

Ubah Bahasa

All of the above is right and correct, PM: Sama macam pentadbiran Mahathir, la.

Mari kita periksa semua dan segala kerjanya Mahathir dan kita hukum dia dengan jujur. Jangannya nanti Mahathir itu namanya Bapa Korupsi Malaysia, Marn. Abdullah ini adalah anak didik Mahathir jua, saperti katanya The Scribe.

Mana pergi Daim dan bagaimana sejarah Mokhzani orang UMNO Merbok?

Terima Kasih.

Anonymous said...

Yg Bhg Dato'

Saya pernah bekerja dengan seorang Partner yang attitudenya "Let's the manager's managed" Pheww hasilnya saya sangat berhati-hati apabila menghantar apa-apa surat atau dokumen untuk approval atau di serahkan pada client. Bila ketika saya membantu pengurus yang cerewet, perasaan saya ada sikit kurang. Bermakna tumpuan dan keutamaan lebih kepada bos yang relex dan kurang cerewet.

Apa gunanya Pak Lah wujudkan PIN, Institute Intergriti Nasional, jika pihak yang sediakan budget buat kerja sambil lewa.

Apa guna juga bagi mereka kursus bagus-bagus. Bukan setakat dalaman saja, dengan profesional body seperti ACCA, CIMA, MACPA pun kerajaan taja. Mereka-mereka ini perlulah membalas kebaikan kerajaan ini dengan tidak menjatuhkan air muka Pak Lah!

Atau,
Mungkin rungutan pegawai Perbendaharaan seperti di bawah ada benarnya. Wallhuaalam:-

Mereka fed up, bila dah penat-penat buat kerja, tiba-tiba yang mereka buat tak timbul, timbul ntah satu benda yang totally asing pula yang dipersembahkan. Seolah ada team lain yang buat kerja.

I don't like this idea though, as bertentangan dengan seruan Surah Hujrat ayat 12. Sekadar a Point to Ponder.

Samuel Goh Kim Eng said...

Handling of Facts & Figures
----------------------------

We are always bombarded with facts and figures
And we'll never know when facts will turn into fiction
And likewise figures into pretty pictures
When differing facts & figures become diversions and distractions

(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng Sun. 230907
MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com

marn said...

We're funny people that not funny anymore.

About Me

My photo
I was born in 1947 in Kedah. I came from a rice farming family. I have been a journalist since 1969. I am the Editor-in-Chief of magazine publishing company, Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd. I was Group Editor NST Sdn Bhd and Group Editor-in-Chief of NSTP Bhd between 1988 and 2000. I write fortnightly column “Other Thots” in the Malaysian Business magazine, Kunta Kinte Original in Berita Harian and A Kadir Jasin Bercerita in Dewan Masyarakat. Books: Biar Putih Tulang (1998), Other Thots – Opinions & Observations 1992-2001 (2001), The Wings of an Eagle (2003), Mencari Dugalia Huso (2006), Damned That Thots (2006), Blogger (2006), PRU 2008-Rakyat Sahut Cabaran (2008), Komedi & Tragedi-Latest in Contemporary Malaysian Politics (2009) and Membangun Bangsa dengan Pena (2009).