23 Jan 2009 The forecast is 3.

5% growth but Malaysia's

government would be lucky to get any growth at all for
this year as 2009 will be one long bumpy stretch for the
country.

The government has announced a stimulus package, but most

probably, much, if not all of the money will at the end of
the day end up in the wrong pockets.

It would be better for the government to reach out directly

to the man in the street and not the big boys in order to
make really good use of the government's effort and money.

1. The government should start showing genuine sympathy to

the many shops that have for so long suffered losses due
to repeated robberies. For example, Malaysia has become a
happy hunting ground for jewellery and gold heist artists
for quite some years now. The government has truly failed
to provide security for the long-suffering bona fide busi-
nessmen and instead it is the gun-toting and sword-wielding
life-takers who are living it good. Everyone has no answer
to solving this sad state of affairs, most probably because
the losses are not the responsibility of the government.

How about providing the laws needed to allow the shops to

legally hire armed guards who are equipped with bulletproof
vests, so that there will be no objection from the police ?

2. The government should put its money where its mouth is. The
leaders always never fail to boast about the country being
"business-friendly", but business people frequently moan
about the shortage of small change, especially coins, as a
result of local banks not willing to supply coins if there
was no assurance of getting a profit from the effort expended.

How about making it compulsory for the local banks to provide

coin-vending machines within their premises ?

3. Information technology is now a cornerstone of the economies of

virtually all nations in this world. But the Malaysian government
is unable to grasp just how important it is. The country has not
been able to provide cheap internet access to the people as the
balance sheets of the big companies are considered more relevant
to the government compared to having a large percentage of the
population wired.

How about making real efforts to provide affordable access ?

4. Malaysia must now summon the political courage to rid the country
of its addiction to foreign workers. Hiring legal and illegal
workers at low wages and with poor working conditions is nothing
less than outright exploitation of fellow human beings.

How about introducing laws to make it easier to hire locals on

a long term part-time basis instead of relying on slave labour ?

5. The government must do something to solve the nightmarish traffic

jams that affect all the cities and big towns in the country. It
 could be that the leaders are never aware of the road conditions
that occur daily as they are so comfortable in their cool offices.
Just try to pass through a road or street during the times when a
school dismisses its pupils. And Mahathir wanted 3 schools to be
located in one place. It shows they have never been there at all.

Solving the traffic woes is vital to keep the bus operators

from constantly asking for fare increases which in turn forces
the public to avoid using mass transport.

6. The government must ensure that the security or enforcement agencies

go about their duties whether it's night or day. There must be more
night patrols and road checkpoints being carried out daily to act as
a big deterrent to those wanting to add to the already existing high
crime rate. At present, the leaders tend to be unaware of the many
bikes and cars that seeemingly are able to cruise around so freely
after nightfall, perhaps they have to burn off excess petrol.

How about turning the determination to fight incessant crime into

becoming part and parcel of national culture ?

7. The government is also unaware of the fact that many young people
now generally have a weak moral fibre. Many youths prefer to loiter
around street corners, sidestreet cafes and 24-hour convenience stores
& game arcades rather than evening class learning centres.

How about using a little government money to reward those who choose
to attend working-adults classes at private institutions where usually
the courses and the qualifications are not recognised by the government
due to short-sghted national policies. Reward and encourage such people.

8. The government should walk the talk when it comes to the problem of
living costs. The prices of items like eggs and powdered milk have seen
sizeable increases recently and there is no guarantee that they will
not increase some more in the future. Could be due to hidden monopolies.

How about increasing the supply and from more diversified sources ?

9. The government should allow EPF contributors who are above 50 years old
and who are unemployed to withdraw half or all of their balances now.
Jobs are scarce for such people and they need to eat immediately.

10.The government should provide money to local state authorities to supply

free meals to those who have lost their jobs, at least one free meal a
day. This way, they can free themselves of having to borrow in order to
be able to eat.

11.The government must subsidise those who have shown that they are frugal
in the usage of utilites. Continue to pay the bills of those who use
very little electricity and water.

12.The government should not waste money on mega projects that have worth
only in terms of prestige. Producing brand name taxis and putting them
on the roads is not the right move or a wise decision in light of the
present global meltdown. Such acts only benefit a few who are already
very rich anyway.

Given the right incentives, the Malaysian economy will survive 2009, but
if the government fails the man in the street, he will recall it at the
next general election.