Change of lifestyle – please lead by example

A few days ago, the Prime Minister gave an advice on how to deal with the rising prices of goods and services. He mentioned that all of us need to change our lifestyle to cope with inflation.

I think that is good advice. We all need to cut unnecessary expenses, saving more money for essential items such as food, energy, water and children education. A simple thing like planning the trip and cut down unnecessary use of cars will help a long way to cut petrol expenses.

I hope the PM will lead by example and direct all civil servants to be more stringent in their spendings,

Firstly, a lot can be saved by cutting down overseas trips for ministers , deputy ministers , Parliamentarians, Assemblymen and senior civil servants. Cut down the so-called learning trips unless it is really necessary. If possible, civil servants can try using Air Asia for destination around the country.

Secondly, cut down on the elaborate preparation for the so-called VIP visits. In the old days, during Tunku and Tun Razak’s time, I understand they travelled extensively around the country but most visits were working no-frills visits. It is suffice to have a simple welcoming ceremony; a tent or even just under the sun is okay for the VIPs working visits ( remember Razak, he always wore a hat during his rural visits) , and no elaborate meals or expensive decorations should be prepared. 

 At the moment, there are too many meetings for a civil servant. Sometimes, a senior civil servant spends more time in meetings than on his or her jobs.  For practically all of these meetings, there will be food either before or after the meeting. Some times the food can be quite lavish especially for those at the top. I think just tea/water or some biscuits should suffice for all these meetings.

Ministers and his entourage normally claims lot of expenses over stay, mileage or food. SOme time the minister or deputy minister may claim many times  more than his basic pay… this was told to me by  former MPs and senior government officers. There were also rumours, ( remember no smoke without fire), that some of their private functions and entertainments expenses were also claimed from government coffers.

Of late, senior officers are given laptops, palm tops, handphones (often the latest top of the line models). This should be reviewed. Sometimes a model just a few months down the line work as well, but will be much cheaper. Anyway, there should be a constant check on these types of expenses. Very often, the expenses are marked-up, and very often, government are paying much much more for the same model that you and I can buy outside….. remember the few hundred dollar screw driver? or the million-dollar cutlery set when one of the former KL mayors was in office?…

With all these cost cuttings , I am sure there will be millions and millions of saving which can be used for development or assistance to the poorer group of people.

I have not included the billions of dollars that can be saved from corruption or abuses. PKFZ saving alone could have given us a second Penang Bridge with plenty of  change left to improve the transport system in the island.

In a nutshell, by having  a austerity and anti corruption drive, we can save billions…………..which can be used for building more schools, more hospitals, more colleges and giving more scholarship for the needy…….