Monday, November 30, 2020

Will The 2021 Budget Be Defeated?

 Will The 2021 Budget Be Defeated?


Tabling a national budget is but a circus act. As in the travelling company of acrobats, clowns, jugglers, magicians etc the ring master takes center stage. And, during the entire performance, he has to keep the audience captivated to the multi talents that are on show. He, however, is but a mere show-man executing the choreography designed by others.


That, obviously, has been the role of our Finance Minster!


 Listening to the Finance Minster tabling the 2021 budget I was reminded of his role as a ring master - a show-man acting out the choreography so scripted by the politicians to whom he was beholden.


To me he failed as an acrobat, a juggler, a magician as the budget he tabled lacked the depth of diversity, inclusiveness and objectivity so required especially so when the nation is under siege from the Covid-19 pandemic.


Take his magical act of allowing workers to dip into their old age retirement funds, the EPF.


 Going by the EPF's own disclosure a vast majority of contributors would not have adequate savings to sustain themselves post retirement. Inspite of such a reality he elected to pull the rabbit out of his hat to, magically, claim that the government has extended financial assistance to the most margainlised segment of society. That, in my view, is the most disgusting rabbit-out-of-the hat act ever! 


His juggling, in the allocation to race based affirmative action, is but a disaster! This winded-up ring master as he is, played race and religious centric politics in depositing billions to the benefit of a selective community whilst handing out pittance to others. On this score, too, he ought to stand labelled as a clown of the first order. 


Whilst the B40 and M40 citizens are facing the reality of either no sustainable disposal income or a very much reduced one, this clown deems it fit to not to extend a blanket marotorium on loans. His magical formula, in a nutshell, is if you want an extension, you sort it out with the financial institution!


Under relentless pressure, from both side of the political divide, this lackadaisical ring master resorted to  goodies from thin air - say RM50.00 more here, there and everywhere without so much as an explanation as to how the sum total of the tabled budget would be re-calibarated.


Whilst he kept to the choreographed script, in announcing one-off incentive to the frontliners involved in the Covid-19 pandemic, his juggling act found no traction in the case of the out-sourced workers who are also involved in the front line in combating the Covid-19 pandemic. 


Insipte of his bungling acts, as a juggler, an acrobat, a magician, a trapeze artist and an incompetent ring master he was left of the hook by the headless horsemen (remember  "The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow") in the opposition at the policy stage of the budget.


What ought to be intriguing is whether the outrageous, monolithic and discriminatory 2021 budget would be passed by parliament. That is, of course, left to the wisdom of our Members Of Parliament including our opposition.


In the circus the most anticipated act is when a lone man handles the lions and tigers and safely too. That act would bring down the curtains. And, without fail the cats  put up an awesome show. Thus, it would be interesting to see whether our opposition  "big cats" maul the trainer or roll over at the sound of his whip! 


Let's wait for the show to end!


Opinion piece:-


K. Veeriah

24, Jalan Goh Swee Huat 

Taman Bukit 

14000 Bukit Mertajam 

016 4184520

30.11.2020