Speech on the 2006
Budget by M.Kula Segaran, MP for Ipoh Barat and DAP Vice Chairman, in the Dewan Rakyat on 12th
October05
A Budget for
Whom and For What?
Of all the comments I have read so
far on the 2006 Budget introduced by Prime Minister and Finance
Minister Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is the one written by
M. Bakri Musa, and published in The Sun of the weekend of
October 8 – 9, 2005.
If
you haven’t read it, please do, as soon as possible. The
comments on the budget by the editors, editorial writers and
other government sycophants, we can actually ignore because they
all invariably have an axe to grand or some personal agendas or
secret ulterior motive to pursue or entertain.
M.
Bakri Musa’s short but excellent article on the Budget is
entitled “We have learned nothing”. I agree with most of what he
says. He is blunt whenever it is necessary; he is clear –
headed; and he doesn’t mince his words.
He
begins by saying that the Budget “expose one glaring reality: We
have learned nothing from out experiences.
“We have yet to
rationalize public expaditary and appreciate the proper role of
government. We still have that civil – servant mindset of
solving a problem by throwing money at it.
“With all the
goodies for them, this budget is indeed by, of, and for civil
servants. It reflects the increasing bureaucratization which is
a large factor in Malaysia’s declining competitiveness”.
Doesn’t that sound
like a breath of fresh air? Malaysian is by large saying that
this budget is yet another bag of sweets for the civil servants.
We are all of course for an efficient and satisfied civil
service, but how many sweets and goodies must we continue to
throw at them?
Has the government
considered fully the socio – economic plight of the ordinary
Malaysians who do not hold a civil service job? The taxi
drivers, the bus drivers, the factory workers, the fisherman,
the farmers, the hawkers, the coffee – shopkeepers, the small
business people, the self – employed and others. What bonuses
for them?
The government has
been saying enough is enough and it’s time to reduce or stop
subsidies for the people. Then why this throwing of more
subsidies for only civil servants? What about the people in this
inflationary period, a slow economy and decreasing job
opportunities?
And talking about subsidies and more
subsidy mentality, I say it is high time the country and the
people stop subsidizing the government and its cronies and the
crony contractors with the wealth of our natural resources. The
government’s own subsidy mentality must stop, either by way of
stopping governmental, bureaucratic and political corruption and
money politics, or by way of colossal wastage and abuse and
misuse of the country’ wealth as so eloquently pointed out in
Auditor – General’s Report of 2005.
Allow me to quote
further from M. Bakri Musa. He says; “Our leaders repeatedly
highlight two major issues: the quality pf our human capital and
inefficiencies of government – linked companies (GLCs).
“Recognizing is
only half the problem: the others is correcting. This budget
fails miserably at this time.”
He also points out
correctly that “Less than a quarter of the budget is for
development, the rest simply operating expanses, with a huge
chunk just for salaries”.
And he laments most
accurately that despite the billions spent on operating costs
and a quarter of that on development costs, the people are still
suffering from bureaucratic inefficiency. “Those poor kampong
folks who risk their lives every day crossing rickety bridges,
continue being careful!”
Indeed. Many of our
schools, especially Sekolah – Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina or
Tamil, are infested or already eaten away by termites. Has the
Education Minister taken the trouble to find out how schools in
the whole country need urgent repairs or are perhaps beyond
repairs? Especially after the tragic and unnecessary death of
teacher Chan Boon Heng, 42, of SJK(C) Keat Hwa in Alor Star
recently?
How many of our
schools computer labs are now in working order, after the
multimillion – ringgit scam a few years ago? Does the Education
Minister remember?
It was reported in
the media on 6th October, 2005 that about 600 schools
hostels in rural Sarawak are in urgent need of repair. Was the
Education Minister aware of that? Does he know how many schools
hostels in other parts of the country are in this pathetic and
sorry state? How serious is the termite problem in our schools?
Or, for that maters, in our hospitals, clinic, houses and other
places?
For instance, on
the very same day as
the schools hostels in Sarawak story appeared in the media, it
was also reported that a RM200.000 can ply walk built on Penang
Hill three years ago is closed now to the public as it is unsafe
because it is infested with termites.
Is this termite
infestation problem symptomatic of a large illness affecting our
country?
We may laugh. Yes, we could very well
laugh if the situation were not so serious or even tragic. The
social problems in our country are serious and mounting. And no
Malaysians can afford to trivialize or underestimate them.
About 6.000 Malaysians are killed on
our roads every year. This is a huge tragedy. It is not enough
just to have an Ops Sikap for two or three weeks daring the Hari
Raya season or the Chinese New Year season. And it is no use
just blaming the drivers, although many of them ought to blame.
But how many did they get their driving licenses? And how may of
those are “kopi” licenses?
There are 50.000
drivers without licenses in the country! Shocking? Unbelievable?
But it is true> According to
The Star of 4th October, 2005, 50.000 motorist
and motorcyclists have been caught driving or riding without
licenses so far this year.
The report says:
“According to Nanyang Siang Pau, 50.00 summonses were issued to
these errant motorist and motorcyclist during the first eight
months of this year.”
The report
continues; Quoting Road Transport Department (JPJ) director –
General Datuk Emran Kadir, the daily said that in Selangor
alone, 2.026 such summonses were issued out motorcyclist, 1.649
to car drivers, 1.765 to lorry drivers, 135 to bus drivers and
69 to taxi drivers and two reared car drivers.
This is most
shocking indeed! How long has this been going on? It is a wonder
that no more people on our roads are killed every year. This
surely warrants a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
Does the 2006 Budget take this very
serious matter into account? And will the 9th
Malaysia Plan have provision for this matter to be tackled at
the most senior level?
What has the
National Road Council been doing? Sleeping? Or being eaten up by
termite?
Last year, more than 6.000 Malaysian
were killed on the roads. We still have about three months left
of this year; how many road deaths this year? And how many
serious injuries? As a Malaysia has put it correctly, if driving
were a disease, it would have been an epidemic.
The transport
Ministry has not been doing it job properly and seriously. A
ruling was introduced during the tenure of the previous
Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik barring drivers to use their
hand phones on the road. But this ruling was never seriously and
properly implemented or enforced. Up to this very day, under the
present Minister of Transport, there is no serious enforcement.
Why? We still see everyday people driving and talking on their
hand phones, posing a threat to them and to others. Why? Why is
enforcement so slack even when it is a life – and – death
matter?
Has the 2006 budget
considered the cause and implications of other serious social
issues? The illegal drug addiction and trafficking problem is
still very serious. The RM100 million ringgit ‘Tak Nak’ anti –
campaign is a big expensive failure. Why? And why is the
government wavering in it’s attend in the ending of tobacco
growing in the country? The less than 20% price increase for
cigarettes proposed by the 2006 Budget is a joke which will not
discourage old smokers, new smokers and potential smokers from
this unhealthy habit and practice. The price increase should
have been at least 50%.
An average of 2.555
Malaysian commits suicide every year. Why? Are we looking
seriously into this problem? Do we have enough funds and
personnel and experts to tackle this problem?
How much money has
been allocated in Budget 2005 to fight HIV/ AIDS? The United
Nations Development Programmer (UNDP) has said that the HIV/
AIDS threat to Malaysia is very serious. The UNDP Human
Development Report 2005 says that Malaysia needs to double her
efforts to prevent the spread of the disease.
The UNDP Report
says that with some 64.000 Malaysians are detected HIV positive
since 1986, the diseases is now in the verge of becoming an
epidemics in Malaysia. Are we getting ready? Have we got the
messages? Do we have enough money and hum resources for the job?
While still on the
subject of health, I would like to congratulate both the
Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture for being
fully alert to the threat of an avian flu pandemic in this
country. They jointly pledged openly to us that they are ready
for any eventuality. We hope and pray they are right.
However, the Health
Ministry, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and some
states government and local councils cannot be similarly praised
in their efforts against the tiny mosquito. The current outbreak
of dengue fever cases – including some fatal cases – in Penang
and some other states is a serious blemish the way we keep our
environmental, especially our drains and streets clean. In this
respect, the Minister of Housing and Local Government should be
sacked for his failure to ensure that local authorities under
his jurisdiction were doing their job diligently and
responsibly.
The current dengue
outbreak in so many parts of the country is proof once again
that the most appointed and unelected local councils and
authorities are unfit to do their job. There is deep and
widespread public disappointment with the performance of these
councils. Local authorities in Malaysia presently have power
over a combined total about RM 20 billion ringgit a year of
public money to spend, but being an unelected they have
absolutely no accountability.
I would therefore
like to reiterate our call for the restoration of elections for
these local councils and authorities. The Hon’ble Pr9ime
Minister and Finance Minister must remember that taxation
without representation is a most basic form of corruption. RM20
billion ringgit of public money a year is a stake.
Crime against
Women
These crimes against women happen all
over the country on a daily basis. Violence against women, rape
and murder included. What are we doing apart from soothing
assurances after the events and after the tragedies? After the
Canny Ong rape cum – murder, the Minister for Women Affairs
promised that the authorities were collating a profile on the
perpetrators of rape and murder. After more than two years,
where is the profile? Were the police involved in collating this
profile?
When is the Royal
Malaysian Police Force going to put more uniformed and a plain
cloths personnel on the street, housing gardens and shopping
mall to protect the Malaysian citizens especially women against
such terrorist acts? And we have not mentioned the incidence of
burglaries and armed robberies.
Months have passed
since the Royal Police Commission come out with its report of
findings and recommendations. These days we hear very little
about the implementation of those proposals. Why? We were told
some months ago that the Royal Commission had broken itself up
into committees. Then one fine day we read in the media that the
police force would need a few billion ribggit to implement those
proposals.
When it comes to
the public safety, money shouldn’t be any problem, so long as
there is accountability and transparency. Has Budget 2006
provided for a large ad more efficient police force? If not, why
not? Are we making provisions in the coming Malaysian Plan?
Taking Care of
Our Minorities.
An annual budget, just like a 5 – year
development plan, should always play the role of forging unity
in our multiracial Malaysians society. This means taking care in
all fields and areas of human endeavour – education, higher
education, employments, business opportunities, health care,
etc. Approved permits (AP) are in the controversy zone at the
moment – or rather over the last four months. If we are to
retain the AP policy, then it should be done more fairly and
justly. Malaysian minorities and less fortunate socio – economic
groups should be the first priority in the awarding the APs in
the future.
Minority Indians
In this regard I
would like to stress that our minority Malaysian Indian
Community who now from about 8% of our population must not be
neglected any longer. Their ancestors, as we know, were brought
here from India by the British to work on the rubber estates and
to build roads, as well as to work in health and survey and
other departments. They contributed tremendously towards the
socio – economic foundation of this country. It would not only
be the height of ingratitude to neglect this minority now; very
serious social and political ramifications and repercussions
could develop as a result of such benign neglect. In fact that
is an understatement to some extent already. Some social
consequences in terms of crime are already noticeable. My
advices: Don’t allow this neglect to continue and fester until
it explodes into a tragedy like they have in Sri Lanka.
Annual budgets and five – year
Malaysians Plan must take this into serious consideration.
Before neglect turns into despair and desperation, frustration
and anger.
Here some issues
and areas of dissatisfactions among many Malaysian Indians which
the Prime Minister should urgently pay attention to:
University
Intake.
University intake for Indians reduced
by about 50% from the over 10% quota in 1970 to 5.2% in 2003. In
2004 the supposed meritocracy system was introduced but it
turned out to be “meritocracy without merits”. Hundreds of
especially poor ethnic minorities Malaysians Indian students
were deprived of their right to education. Matriculation courses
for entry into public universities are almost exclusively for
the majority community.
Medical Seats.
Medical seats in the universities of
Malaya were reduced by 98% from 16 seats in 2001 to only 1 seat
in 2003. This is effect means that the almost 1.8 million Indian
have to compete for just (1) medical seats at this universities.
When they opted to study at affordable Universaties overseas,
the state in June 2005, in an effort to reduce the number of
ethnic Malaysian Indian medical students studying overseas
acted. The Crimea State medical universities medical degrees
were derecognized for dubious and questionable reasons. In an
effort to reduce the number of Indian medical doctors most other
foreign medical universities with high ethnic Malaysian Indians
student enrolment is currently having it status reviewed. The
local medical universities are far worse off in all respect in
comparison with the Crimea University.
TAMIL SCHOOLS
80% of the 523 Tamil Schools (ethnic
minority Malaysian Indian schools) are in dilapidated conditions
with almost no sports, recreational, computer, library and
others basic facilities accorded
to National Schools and is still not made fully aided
government schools when primary school education has been made
compulsory by Law. The prime minister announced a sum of RM 1.8
billion for primary and secondary schools in the 2004 budget (NST
13/9/2003 at page 12 (Note: all the above are in breach of
Article 8 (equality before the law and article 12 (rights to
education) of the federal constitution and the Education Act
1968.About 95% of these Tamil schools do not have kindergartens
unlike 99% in National schools which has the same.
HINDU
TEMPLES DEMOLISTION
Malaysia is about the one and only
country in the world where one temple is unlawfully broken down
by the authorities in every three weeks contravening article 11
(freedom of religion) of the Federal Constitution and the Penal
Code. The emergency ordinance (outdated by 40 years) is often
used to legalize their action. There have been reported cases of
policemen torching temple, Molotov cocktails thrown into temples
by policemen and state authorities or they are simply burnt down
or bulldozed down.
There is an urgent
need to set up a special fund to assist the Indians with an
initial amount of at least RM500 million like the one I had
suggested on 13July1999 during my speech in Parliament while
debating the issue of the repeal of the South Indian Labour
Fund.
Today the Malaysian
Indian Congress President said if the government failed to help
raise Indian equity MIC will close shop. This is merely a false
threat by the MIC. We Malaysians know that the government will
not and does not bother the least about raising the Indian
equity from the present 1.5% to 3%. So will the MIC close shop
as threatened by the MIC president? No way! In the past the
promises by the President like he will stay put in Lunas if the
BN lost in the by election was never kept. Remember the
toothless tiger he was in the U turn he took on the issue of the
Crima University derecognization issue?
The following other
issues could not be raised due shortage of time imposed by the
speaker.
MAJORITARIAN RULE THROUGH CIVIL
SERVICE
Employment in the Civil Service
sectors (Indian participation in the civil service reduced from
about 40% in 1957 to about 2% in 2003.The remaining 2% of this
Indians largely work in the clerical and industrial manual group
(IMG). For promotions etc there is no equal opportunity. This is
contrary to article 8(equality before the law) of the Federal
Constitution. An equally Employment opportunity Commission
should be established.
NO BUSINESS
LICENCES / OPPORTUNITIES
Mearge or no business licenses /
opportunities / small business / commercial licenses for
Malaysian Indians to run businesses resulting in only 1% Indian
participation in the country’s economic wealth. (and that too
believed to be largely held by one state sponsored Indian
millionaire)
VICTIMIZATION BY POLICE
Studies have revealed that Indians
form about 60% of innocent people shot dead by the police, 60%
of innocent people dying in police custody, 60% of suspects /
detainees in police lockups and other detention centres.
NO EFFECTIVE
LEGAL AID
Out of the aforesaid 60%,almost 95% of
them plead guilty when they may not necessarily be guilty. Most
of the crimes they commit are poverty
related. They cannot afford legal fees and neither is
there an effective legal aid system.
LOWEST PER
CAPITA
Studies have revealed that Indians
have the lowest per capita income of only about RM 1000.00 per
month when the national per capita income is projected at RM
14,954 in the 2004 budget (NST 13/9/2002 at page 15) This is
about 95% below the national average. At the ground we are aware
of many Indian families earning a mearge RM 450.00 per month.
ABUSE OF WOMEN
AND CHILDREN
Everyday even Indian women and
children are not spared. As part of the interrogation an India
lady was told to perform oral sex on another detainee at the
Rawang police station. Her husband was then brought in naked
before her and her daughter. She was then told that her 18 year
old daughter would be raped later that might.
Another 14 year old boy was arrested
from his house and was told to do 150 push ups in police
custody. When he stopped at 20 he was kicked and the police
boots broke his leg.
LABOUR CLASS
Hopelessness poverty and lack of
opportunities leads to high Indian involvement in crime arising
out of poverty.80% of ethnic Malaysian Indians have degenerated
into becoming laborers, Industrial Manual Group (IMG) workers,
office boys, security guards, public toilet cleaners, general
workers, road sweepers, beggars, squatters, criminals, gangsters
etc, as a result of direct discrimination by the state.
ETHNIC MALAYSIAN INDIAN POOR
Indians form sixty (60) % of urban
squatters and forty-one (41) % of beggars (the economist
22/2/2003). About 80% this community is in the poor and / or
hardcore poor bracket.
POVERTY AMONG
ESTATE WORKERS / LABOURERS
Fifty-four (54 %) of
Malaysian Indians works as plantation or urban underpaid
laborers. (Asia week 26/1/2002)
PATHETIC MONTHLY
WAGES
After 46 years of independence the
state has capped the monthly salary of plantation workers at RM
325.00 per month and RM 350.00 per month for rubber tappers. Can
YB survive on RM
350.00.
POOR STUDENTS
RM 200 million was allocated to assist
poor student to continue with their education (NST 13/9/2003 at
page 12) but it is doubtful if even hardly 1 % of the Indians
benefit from this.
EMERGENCE OF A
NEW ETHNIC MALAYSIAN INDIAN CRIMINAL CLASS
Over the last 25 years a new ethnic
Malaysian Indians criminal class has emerged as a result of the
aforesaid years of direct discrimination. High incidences of
slashing and killing largely among themselves take place even
over the most mundane issues.
SQUATTERS
Due to rapid development large
plantations have been developed resulting in the plantation
workers being displaced and forced to become squatters. Their
squatter colonies are in turn demolished to make way for
development with no or little alternative.
ORPHANDS / OLD
FOLKS
The majority of orphanages and old
folks homes are filled up with members of this community. This
is another clear indicator of poverty.
SKILLS TRAINING
Access to even the lowest level skills
training Institutions are deprived for this community resulting
in most of them remaining unemployed or unskilled workers. Even
at the NTS Arumugam Pillai skills training Institute which was
build on funds derived from the dissolution of the South Indian
Labour Fund, not a
single ethnic Malaysian Indian student was admitted in the fist
intake.
PENSIONERS
Budget 2006 gives a one – off sum of
RM 200 to pensioners. While they are happy with this, the amount
is too mearge, especially compared to the benefits givens to
civil servants.
We must not forget
the many and enormous contributions pensioners have given to the
nation. They have given thirty-five or forty years of – or the
best years of their lives – to service for society, and they
clearly deserve more, particularly in these inflationary times.
I fully support the
call from one Ravi Sanggang of Mentakah, Pahang, (NST, Letters,
October 5, 2005) on the government to give pensioners at least
RM 1000. Instead of a mere RM 200 to tide over this difficult
period. After all, how much can you buy/ or do these days with
RM 200?
FOREIGN
WORKERS
Last but not least, I would like to
touch on the plight of foreign workers in our country. How we
treat our foreign workers tells the world what kind of a society
we are – whether we are caring as we claim to be, kind and
civilized and compassionate to our fellow human beings, or
whether we are brutes and cruel and even inhumane.
It is a great shame
that many foreign workers in this country have been subjected to
all manner of bullying, cruelty and even outright cheating and
exploitation.
We read in the
daily newspapers of foreign workers not being paid for months on
end for work already performed. What kind of employers are
these? We hear of employers keeping their passports or travel
documents and disappearing.
This scandalous
state of affair must stop. The government should have no mercy
on employers or agents or any other party exploiting and
cheating foreign workers, regardless of their work permit or
immigration status. Work done must be paid for fairly and
promptly. Those who do not must be pu8nidhes more severally for
their anti – labour and anti – human activities.
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