by Lim Guan Eng
BN’s Budget 2013 is clearly an exercise in deception following the admission by Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin in an interview with Sin Chew Daily yesterday that an increase in power tariffs in the future is inevitable due to climbing international prices of fuel. Even though Peter Chin did not reveal the time and quantum of the electricity tariff hike, he pointed out that higher electricity prices will encourage the public to save energy and switch to products with green technology.
Such an admission by Peter Chin is shocking as this should be included by any responsible government in the 2013 Budget. If a hike in electricity tariffs is inevitable, why then was this not announced in the 2013 Budget presented by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on 28 September 2012?
Such failure is clearly intended deception and proves BN 3Ds record of Deficits, Debts and Deception as compared to PR’s state government’s record of 3S of Surplus, Sustainable debt reduction and Stern action against corruption. BN’s 2013 Budget of RM 252 billion can not mask a persistent record of deficits for the 16th year estimated at RM40 billion.
The last time this country ran a budget surplus was in 1997 when Anwar Ibrahim was still the Deputy Prime Minister. Neither can the 2013 Budget hide the fact that the Federal Government debt has risen to its highest level in history at RM502.4 billion or RM 17,000 for every Malaysian. And this RM 502.4 billion debt does not even include contingent liabilities estimated at more than RM 110 billion, that are not officially on the books.
In contrast PR state governments have not only recorded yearly surpluses but also reduced debt. For example Penang PR state government recorded the highest ever surpluses in Penang’s history for each of the 4 years in power. Sustainable debt reduction was adopted and managed to cut down the state government debt by 95% or RM 600 million from RM 630 million in March 2008 to only RM 30 million by end 2011.
In contrast to PR’s stern action against corruption, BN continues to approve programmes that benefits its cronies such as the RM 272.5 million was allocated in this budget under the Crime NKRA to “Increase Public Satisfaction on Police Performance”. Instead of spending taxpayers’ money to improve the police force and to reduce actual crime, the BN has decided to allocate this money for an empty public relations exercise that will only benefit politically linked consultants and advertisers. With this kind of mindset, it is even less likely that that the public will believe that crime is indeed coming down in our country.
Worse is RM 386 million has been allocated to set up an additional 57 KR1M stores in Sabah and Sarawak or RM 6.7 million per store. This allocation will likely benefit those who get the contract to operate these stores, namely Mydin. In addition, these KR1M stores will also likely drive many local retailers in Sabah and Sarawak out of business.
In 2012, Najib announced the setting up of 85 KR1M stores in Peninsular Malaysia with an allocation of RM 40 million. This works out to RM470,000 per store. For the 2013 Budget, the setting up of 57 KR1M stores in Sabah and Sarawak costs RM 386 million or RM 6.7 million per store, which is an increase of 15 times in the cost of one KR1M store of RM 470,000 in Peninsular Malaysia.
Can BN justify spending RM6.7 million just to set up one KR1M store to sell basic necessities like sugar, rice and salt or are the KR1M stores also selling luxury goods like designer handbags, gold and diamond jewellery? -The Rocket
