OK we shall blame it on subsidies

At the Subsidy Rationalization Open Day organized by PEMANDU, Performance Management and Delivery Unit in the Prime Minister Department, Minister in the Prime Minister Department, Idris Jala said "We do not want to end up as another Greece." A great statement. But he failed to see, even with zero subsidy, the rampant corruptions, 'subsidy' to cronies, 'you help me and I help you', wasteful projects, project cost over-run, the over-sized, over-paid, low productivity and inefficient public sector can still bankrupt the country within a foreseeable future.

Malaysia is very lucky. First we have tin and the hardworking Chinese tin miners. then we have rubber and the hardworking Indian and Chinese rubber tappers. Then came the oilpalm and then we found oil and gas. If Malaysia is like Singapore and has non of the above, I won't be surprise to see Ringgit at par with Indonesian Rupiah by now.

Through subsidies, taxpayers at least can get back some of their money and the poor can get essential goods at a lower price. But with the unchecked corruption and the unchecked wasteful Government spending, the taxpayer's money in going down the drain. Idris Jala should concentrate his effort to plug all the Government's leakages in the first place instead of taking an easy way out of removing all subsidies that affect only the lambs. To plug leakages he has to face the tigers and crocodiles.