Money, money, money: It's an Umno crony's world

The Auditor-General has done a very good job in producing the audit report showing clear and indisputable findings on how our money has been spent and wasted by the UMNO-BN government and its machineries in 2010.

Recently the UMNO-BN federal government informed us that it has to borrow more money for expenses in 2012 of RM45.9 billion, about 4.7% of GDP as tabled in Parliament.

While economists have been trying to find ways to boost the economy, reduce spending and reduce borrowing; more or less to achieve a balanced budget, those who have connection to those in power have other plans. They are in fact cohorts in trying to divert the proposed expenditure and siphon the money out for themselves.

Not interested in doing a good job

We have had many examples;

The National Feedlot Center is thinking more about making money rather than achieving its target of producing enough cows based on the Ministry of Agriculture's vision.

There is a statement from the NFC boss himself, as reported, that the return of investment in property is being sought after because it is more attractive, not increasing the number of cows, which he also said was more than 'enough' although he did not directly dispute the auditor-general's findings.

The thing is, in managing the National Feedlot Centre, he should be thinking cow, cow and cow; but instead he is thinking money, money, money.

It is the same in the case of the PKFZ scandal. They were also thinking off money instead of working on a workable business venture with long term benefits. The mess-up in implementing and managing the project was because the perpetrators and cohorts were more interested in how to make money; huge amounts of easy money.

The PKFZ operators were never really interested in making the project successful.

RM100 not to help but a publicity gimmick for Najib and BN

The government has just disbursed RM100 each for the school students, rather than giving free books. This has created too much hassle and security problems for everybody. Worse still, this is actually just a gimmick, free advertisement for the UMNO-BN government for their “kind and caring” attitude.

Thus the UMNO-BN government gave out money and money, money, money for the parents. But once in the hands of the parents, how would the government guarantee that the money will be used for the intended purpose?

Oil royalty, Felda, KLMRT and other projects

Next, Kelantan has been asking for the longest time about the money the federal government owes it in the form of petroleum royalty. Even the “wang ehsan” money for Kelantan from the federal government is not under the control of the Kelantan government.

They have been deprived of their rightful money! Now the federal government is trying to take the oil from the waters in Kelantan and the news on this has been reported as “blatant robbery of Kelantan’s wealth”. Here, the UMNO-BN government is “blatantly stealing” Kelantan’s money.

FELDA has been very lucky. Although it has lost most of its money, it can borrow from the EPF to the tune of RM6 billion which we can all assume will never be paid back. There goes our money!

The RM5 billion 100-storey mega tower project, the redevelopment of the Pudu Jail land and the Sg Besi air base have gone nowhere because there is not enough money. The same goes for the beautification of the Klang river by DBKL.

The KL MRT project stakeholders also have money on their minds when trying to develop the strategic lands along the route. They say the money is to finance the MRT project itself. Now they are spinning a different story; they have no money.

In the end, the people are in trouble

So, is it better for us that the UMNO-BN government now has not enough money, which by the way means that their leaders and cohorts will no longer be able to siphon it out.

Or would it be even greater disaster for us, the rakyat, since no matter what, they will beg, borrow or steal to get their money-making schemes going full steam ahead? After all, how else can they sipohon out more our our hard-earned funds!

Malaysia Chronicle