the 2017 Budget...

The 2017 budget has just been announced and I don't see any serious criticism in the mainstream or social media. Everything sounds so rosy with no indication at all that the country is facing any financial problem. Everyone seems happy although opposition members of Parliament staged a walk- out during the presentation by the PM cum Finance Minister, ostensibly as a result of the PM's accusation that Tun Dr Mahathir had been the cause of a split among the Malays.

Total allocation of RM260.86billion is about 2.5% less than lat year's allocation. Operating expenditure of RM 148bil isa 2% less than last year's while development expenditure of RM46.8 billion is down by 11.63% Is that any indication of a progressive and expanding economy although the Revenue Collection estimate at RM219.7billion will increase by 3%.
Emolument for public servants goes up by 8.9% to RM77.46 billion.
Financial Deficit target is set at 3%of GDP , a reduction of 1% from last year.
It was mentioned that Per Capita income rose from RM23,100 in 2012 to R%M26.891 in 2015.
the common worker
So everything seems OK and the PM is enjoying the support (even praise) of all those receiving a fat allocation in the 2017 budget.Most noticeable is the raising of BRIM payments to all families with an income of RM4,000 and below per month. Does that mean that all workers with an income of below RM4000 per month can also qualify to get a BRIM package? How about pensioners with a pension of less than RM4000 or even 3 or 2k? If they qualify, the number of BRIM receivers would easily double or triple. The amount can go up from RM450 for bachelors with an income of below RM1200 to RM12000 for a family with an income of less than RM4000.

BRIM is a clear financial handout, a gift, earning something without doing anything. Even an encouragement to earn less than RM4000 or remaining unemployed. I believe even in the US you've to prove that you're trying to get a job before you get a dole from the welfare department.Very nice of government to give out cold cash to the needy low-income group, but at whose expense. Not from the pocket of the PM, the Ministers and the rich. It's from the public coffer. Come to think of it. Even Robin Hood and his merry men did a better job by robbing the rich to help the poor.
happy BRIM recipients
No, the government does its job to help the poor. The recipients of BRIM themselves must consider where they left their self-pride in taking the monetary gift.Unless you couldn't care less where the government gets the money to pay you, even if it has to rob the public coffer or sell more national assets to foreigners.

Another notable fact is that assistance to public universities has been cut down by 20%. It means less scholarship funds and financial assistance to students from poor families. We've already heard of cases where oversea students had to return home for government funding has been stopped or reduced. If true, there certainly is a cutback in our investment on human resource development in preference to giving cash handout to the low-icome group.future human resource

I reserve other comments until the public, not just the Ministers and political bigwigs, speak up.
Until then I assume everyone is very happy with the budget.