The first of many questions that come to the mind of Malaysians on the RM2 billion cost-cutting package announced by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is:

If the government can increase oil prices from 41 to 63 per cent, why can’t it slash the entertainment allowances of cabinet ministers and deputy ministers by 50% and not just a paltry 10%?

The question becomes all the more poignant when it is disclosed that the current entertainment allowances are RM18,865 for the prime minister, RM15,015 for the deputy prime minister, RM12,320 for ministers and RM6,000 for deputy ministers.

What about all the other allowances, including tips allowances which run into hundreds of ringgit a day, which ministers and deputy ministers are entitled to?

For a start, all the various forms of allowances which cabinet ministers and deputy ministers are entitled to should be made public not only as a a form of leadership by example in terms of accountability, transparency and good governance but also to demonstrate that the ministers and deputy ministers feel the pain of the people caused by the unconscionable and callous oil price hikes ranging from 41 to 63 per cent.

Abdullah’s statement that the cost-cutting measures he announced yesterday “will not be the first or the last” and that many other announcements will be made by the government is testimony that these measures are “after thoughts” after the manifestation of public anger and outrage over the brutal and hefty oil price increases when mitigation measures should have been part of any Cabinet decision causing far-reaching inflationary repercussions imposing great financial hardships on all vulnerable sectors of the Malaysian population.

The public anger and outrage at the unconscionable and callous oil price hikes had been aggravated by the lack of any sign that the government is prepared to end its waste, extravagance, misappropriation of public funds, lack of accountability and the many mega-scandals like the Petronas billions and the RM4.6 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) bailout scandal – further example that the Cabinet had not learnt the lessons of the March 8 “political tsunami” to be a caring, responsible, just and people-oriented administration.

It is no wonder that Malaysians regard the RM2 billion cost-cutting measures, described as the “first” of such measures, as not only too little and too late, but shows lack of seriousness to provide proper government leadership by example to lead Malaysians to tide through the hard economic hard times facing the country.