We Don't Have Much Money Left

I won't be surprised if most Malaysians missed out on this public admission made by our backdoor prime minister.

On April 12, Muhyiddin Yassin opened his mouth to claim that Putrajaya does not have much money left for the country. 

Don't say you've not been warned!

Anyway, he should know he is not alone. Throughout Malaysia, thousands of families (and businesses) are scrambling and fighting hard to survive. Some people have lost their homes because they have no jobs and no money to pay for mortgage or rent. They are already struggling to put food on the table. Even young people are known to have moved in with their parents as they cannot afford to live on their own. And also the claims that the number of homeless people has increased. 

With the economy in such a perilous state, businesses have to lay off people, downsize and, in some cases, shut down. 

Muhyiddin said his government had spent over RM600 billion in 2020 and 2021, dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and stimulating the economy in the national budget. As well as the many miscellaneous expenditures. 

So, not much money is left in the kitty. 

The solution is simple. Trim the bloated civil service. Pare down the oversized cabinet. Stop the corruption. Slash the unnecessary spending. 

But I don’t believe he’ll do it because his political survival depends on him not just maintaining the status quo but continue to be open-handed. This is Malaysia, after all. 

In the meantime, we find ourselves in dire straits. Except for the privileged and the wealthy.