Hard Times Are Already Upon Us And The Government Is Not To Blame!

An indication that hard times are already upon us can be gleaned from the run up to this year's Chinese New Year (CNY).

Nothing much seems to be moving. Even the neighbourhood supermarket that used to stock up on Mandarin oranges, now only holds a small and pathetic stock of the must have fruit for the CNY celebrations.

A friend who works in a famous electrical and electronic chain tells me that sales have not measured up to past years' and the market is very quiet and doesn't seem to move.

All this caution is understandable given that the cost of everything is going up. And we are not yet even factoring in the projected rise in petrol prices or the upcoming GST (Goods And Sales Tax) next year.

The only thing that doesn't seem to rise at all, is the pay you receive.

While the rakyat are forced to tighten their belts to tie them through the month, all that Pm Najib could do was to claim that the government he leads was not to blame for the rising costs of living.

That is a well worn refrain that we have been hearing since Mahathir's time. A government best seller. If anything is not right or going in that direction, it has never been the government's fault.

Of course the government is not to blame. They are the one who have been over spending the past 16 years, chalking up the sovereign debt to some 600 billion Ringgit and rising.

How much of that was illicit leakage or corrupt practice, only the divine knows

Of course, the rakyat are to blame for the wanton over spending. After all, were they not the ones who voted in the government time in time out? - never mind that the last time they did, only 47% of the votes were cast in favour of the ruling coalition and yet they managed to go on to form the government of the day.

The rest of the blame has to do with external matters beyond the control of the government.

See, it is easy to lay the blame on everybody and anything else, except lay it on your own shoulders.

Because that is what a clueless and cavalier government does best.