Friday, March 13, 2009

Stimulus package 救市振兴配套

The announcement of RM60 billion second stimulus package in Parliament 3 days ago by Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister Najib created no excitement for the majority public in the country. The first package of 7 billion announced last year left not a tiny ripple or trace to be seen or felt.

People are more interested to know how is this fund to be distributed and implemented. Does this has immediate benefit to the ordinary citizens who are jobless or facing retrenchment? or only a selected "cronies" big corporations or sectors and projects only. It looks like government is giving out big contracts soon, you know to who-lah ! Transparent and accountability are the key words to determine the success or failure of the package.

The distribution of the 60 billions:

1) 2 billions to increase employment and reduce unemployment:
- 63,000 new government servants be added to the already bulging numbers of government servants
- training for retrenched workers including unemployable graduates
- others

2) 10 billions to ease the burden of the people:
- 476 millions for food subsidies
- 480 millions to tolls concessionaires to ensure their profit and not to increase toll rate
- Almost 4 billions for infrastructure projects ( contracts...lah)
- others

3) 19 billions to build new projects for future
- 10 billions goes to Khazana Nasional, government investment arm ( how much you know about this corporation?)
- more big projects and contracts....
- others

4) 29 billions to private sector:
- 2 billions to build new LCCT terminal
- 5 billions to promote productivity and green technology
- 5 billions on government guarantee loan scheme
- RM 5000 discount for 10 years old car trade in
- others (tax relief and incentives)

To the ordinary people on the street who are struggling to meet end needs, life goes on... the threat of loosing job, pay cut.....less bread on the table..... skyrocketing prices.....

Most probably these people can feel happy that they can trade in their 10 years old cars (which they needed for transport and work) for a brand new Proton to enjoy RM 5000.00 rebate under the stimulus package. In this way, government is encouraging these already burdened people to dig their own graves for early demise!

As a small & medium businessman myself, I hardly can see any immediate benefit to my business at all. One of my fellow businessmen called me this morning talking about retrenching workers and pay cut. His business is well established but the financial crisis spares no one. No sign of improvement of export markets and Foreign Direct Investment.

Perhaps me and my friend may be able to receive some benefit on the 19 billions for private sector under the new ruling "Company’s current year losses be allowed to be carried back to the immediate preceding year." I hoped our businesses can last that long to enjoy this "benefit"!

The battle for the share of fund has started, vultures are circling .......



副首相兼财政部长纳于三月十日,在国会宣布了马币六百亿的第二个救市配套,没有在大多数人民中,引起共鸣和回响。去年的七十亿第一个配套,根本都见不到任何踪迹和效益。

人民大致上更关心如何成功的去执行及分配这个配套的基金。对于那些已失业或面对裁员的普罗大众,会有帮助吗?或者只有某些“朋党”的公司 、利益集团 、行业或工程受益而已?看来在这配套下,政府会发出很多大工程和合约给某些受益者。。。你该知道是那些吧!其实,透明度及有效的管理,才能够保证这个配套的成功。

六百亿的配套分配大约如下:

1) 二十亿用来增加就业及避免失业人数
- 增聘六万三千名公务员加入本来已经庞大的公务员行列
- 培训事业人士,包括没人聘请的大学生
- 其他

2) 一百亿减轻人民的负担
- 四亿七千六百万元作为必需品津贴
- 四亿八千万给大道(大盗)公司,以免他们提高公路收费
- 四十亿提升基本建设工程(发出很多的合约罗!)
- 其他

3) 一百九十亿建设新的基建工程
- 一百亿交给国库公司。。(你对它有多少了解?)
- 更多的工程和合约。。。
- 其他

4) 二百九十亿给私人界
- 二十亿建筑新的廉价机场终站
- 五十亿奖励提供生产力及绿色科技
- 五十亿作为政府保证贷款
- 十年以上车辆换购新普腾,可获五千元回扣
- 其他(税务减低及奖励)

对于那些为三餐而挣扎的普通市民,他们的生活照常 。。。继续的面对裁员的阴影,减薪。。。钱不够用。。高涨的物价。。。

他们可能会很高兴的把他们作为交通工具的十年以上旧车,去换一辆新的普腾,获得回扣五千元,然后每个月被绑着要供还整千元的贷款。这无疑是政府叫这些已经捉襟见肘的民众,火上加油,自掘坟墓而已。

身为一名中小型商人,我看不到这个配套对我的生意马上有什么帮助。今天早上一位同行朋友刚打电话来,谈到如何要实行裁员及减薪来面对困境。他的生意可说是已经稳固,但金融风暴不放过任何一个人。目前还看不到出口市场及国外直接投资有所改善的迹象。

或者我和朋友能够享到在十九亿发放给私人界中,公司亏损可以提前扣除(有待所得税局指示)。我希望我们的生意能够坚持这么久来享受这个“优惠”。

谋得这个配套款项的争夺已经开始,秃鹰已在天空盘旋了。。。

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