8m BR1M applicants is not a figure we should be proud of

YOURSAY | ‘To have millions entitled to BR1M shows the absolute failure in gov’t policies.’

PM: Country going bankrupt? But BR1M increases yearly

Anonymous 759201436321741: I suppose the PM has no idea about the symptoms and causes that eventually lead to bankruptcy (for individuals, corporations or even nations).

Giving, and increasing, the amount of BR1M (Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia) is one thing. Where the fund is coming from (especially borrowed sources) is another thing.

Yes, keep increasing the amount yearly, and before you realise it, bankruptcy will stare right at your face sooner than you think.

Quigonbond: When the country is nose deep in a cesspool of financial irregularities, fiscal mismanagement and abuse of power, the PM saying that the country has not gone bankrupt is not a testament of good governance.

It is a testament of the resilience of Malaysian people to break their backs if they have to in order to make ends meet, only to have their perseverance, goodwill and patriotism being taken advantage of.

It's not just the Goods and Services Tax (GST), it's direct taxes and indirect taxes increasing or about to be increased. Instead of going on an austerity drive, it's about spending more and more, and more.

Mushiro: On one hand, Najib is saying that the economy is doing well and at the same time, he admitted that 5.15 million households needed BR1M with 8.27 million applications - 8.27 million of 30 million population means 27.5% of the Malaysian population are poor and needed help.

This is probably Najib's failure, not an achievement. Giving BR1M higher this year is a strategy to buy votes because of the impending election. Indeed, why GST if the economy is doing well?

Legit: So, a total of 8.27 million households out of 30 million population allegedly earn below RM3,000. That's not only a staggering number but it also shows the high level of poverty in Malaysia.

It looks like we have a small percentage of super rich elites and an overwhelming majority of Malaysians living below the poverty line. Yet our political leaders keep boasting of zero poverty and Malaysians doing well.

It is also evident that the current regime wants to keep Malaysian poor so that they can bribe them with BR1M in return for votes.

MVA: Our population is estimated at 30 million. Leaving aside non-citizens, expatriates and foreign workers, one could safely say citizens make up about 25 million.

Assuming four persons per household, we should have 6.25 million families. Strange that there are more than 8 million applicants. Husband and wife cannot apply individually, so they have to make one application together.

Adult children can apply individually. Even then the figure seems very high.

YHJ: Yes, assuming a 30 million population and that there are five members in each household, this means that there are 6 million households. Even if every household applied, the figure would not be 8.27 million. The maths do not add up.

Anyway, all this means we are a nation of paupers, with the exception of those who are well-connected.

Anonymous #21828131: I quite agree with YHJ's and MVA's comments. In the process of trying to pull wool over our eyes, Najib has unwittingly revealed some interesting figures.

Let’s give him the benefit of our doubt and trim down the number of households even further to three persons per household and that works out to 10 million households.

Najib has stated that over 8 million households had applied. Which means about only 1.5 million households did not apply.

The poverty margin using these figures is astounding and is nothing to be proud of after nearly 60 years of Umno rule.

Clever Voter: There is nothing wrong to be a benevolent state. But if we want to have a good welfare state, then do it equitably and fairly.

To say that we have millions entitled to BR1M shows the absolute failure in government policies. Admission of this also reflect the failure of the New Economic Policy (NEP).

Growth of anything less than roughly 7-8% conservatively means we borrow to close the deficit. We haven't created new wealth since much of we earned, almost 90% are to pay for government operating expenses, which includes supporting the bloated civil service.

BN continues to mislead the people. The impression of being a generous and wealthy nation is only for PR (public relation) purposes. The reality is that we are cash strapped since the dip in oil prices. Our dependence on petroleum is obvious.

In the final analysis, we are not going to be bankrupt, but an indebted nation with no improvements in living standards.

Gerard Lourdesamy: Without GST, will there be BR1M? What is the real inflation rate? Why the petrol price hikes despite oil prices dropping? Have our incomes and wages grown commiserate with our economic growth rate?

The country is commercially insolvent just going by the incomes, expenditures and debt levels. The fact that the current account and trade account surpluses are declining is proof of this.

Anonymous #44199885: Increments to BR1M mean nothing when various government departments and ministries are faced with budget cuts, reduced scholarships to worthy students, late payment of bursaries to students, reduced R&D (research and development) budget, reduced budgets for all educational institutions, reduced healthcare budget, increased use of generic drugs, unaffordability of giving free treatment for cancer patients, unavailability of certain classes of medicines in public hospitals, removal of sponsorships to students to pursue studies overseas, putting doctors on contract, reduced hiring of teachers, closing down teacher training schools, inability of 1MDB to pay its debts, closure of many businesses due to high cost of living, and reduced patronage due to GST and removal of subsidies, removal of all subsidies, lack of funds for the care of the poor, homeless and hungry, etc, etc.

BR1M is probably paid out of borrowings, just like most of government expenditure.

GE14Now!: What this alleged kleptomaniac is saying is that because of all the mismanagement of the government, the only way to remain in power is to increase the size of the ‘bribe’ to voters - hence the increase in BR1M (‘Bribe’ Rakyat 1More).- Mkini