09 June, 2010

ABORT PLANS TO SPEND LAVISHLY FOR NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE IN PUTRAJAYA


I refer to the announcement today in Parliament that the government is considering the option to move the Parliament house to Putrajaya and the new Parliament may cost upto RM800 million. It was further reported that the current Parliament house would require repair works for its roof and electrical wiring, which would cost RM150 million.

With due respect to the government, our country is currently not in the best position to spend lavishly on new amenities for the sole comfort of Members of Parliament.

Recently, we have seen the government announcing the implementation of Good & Services Tax (GST) in due time, implementation of additional tax such as the RM50 tax on credit cards and proposed reduction of various subsidies.

All this new taxes and reduction of subsidies would be burdening the people.

Apart from improving the country’s financial coffers by introduction of news taxes and reductions of subsidies, Malaysians would equally expect the government to be more prudent on its spending and cancellation of any unnecessary government expenditure.

Unless the government can give assurance that subsidies would not be reduced, GST would not be introduced and the financial condition of the country is in solid state, the government should immediately abort any plans to move the Parliament house to Putrajaya.