Najib’s proposal for cost of living lab met with derision in cyberspace
Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s (pic) suggestion to set up a “laboratory" to look into the rising cost of living following several price hikes recently has been met with derision, with individuals venting their frustrations on the prime minister’s Facebook page.
Najib announced yesterday that Putrajaya was "always looking for suitable formula to safeguard the people's welfare and prosperity" and would set up a "Laboratory on Living Cost" under the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) to "study and identify measures to ease the people's burden".
"I have heard the plight of the people, especially over the increase in the cost of living," Najib posted in his Facebook page.
But he said the government also had to "ensure sustainability of the country's economy".
As of 11am today, Najib's post received more than 8,000 comments, most of which showed that the people were doubtful of the government's sincerity in tackling the rising costs of living.
Facebook user Faizani Hassan wrote on the page, "Datuk seri tak payah nak tubuh makmal-makmal dan gunakan PEMANDU membazir dan bukan pun pandai sangat nak menyelesaikan masalah rakyat." (Datuk Seri, you don't have to set up labs and use Pemandu to waste and it's not like they're smart enough to solve the people's problems.)
Jimmy Ujang said: "Apa guna buat makmal kalau harga kos of living sudah naik. Kaji sebelum naik bukan selepas naik." (What is the use of a lab if the cost of living is high? You should have looked into it before prices went up not after.)
Jamil Jaffar said: "Rakyat tambah stress bila semua kos jadi naik. Golongan pertengahan makin sengsara. Lagi sakit hati bila menteri keluar kenyataan ala-ala gangster dan kebudak budakan." (The people become more stressed when costs go up. The middle-class suffers more. It is even more disheartening when a minister comes up with childish and gangster-type statements.)
Nicholas Lai MC and Muhd Wafie urged the PM to look at Facebook in order to know what the people are going through instead of setting up a laboratory.
Lai Said:"Nanti perlu guna berapa juta lagi untuk buka 'makmal' ni?" (How many more millions do we need to use to set up this 'laboratory'?).
Facebook user Khairul Che Hassan called on Najib to live the life of a civilian for a week:
Baru dapat ujian makmal lebih tepat... itulah cara terbaik dilakukan seorang pemimpin." (Then only the laboratory results will be more accurate...that is the best a leader can do.)
Commentors also criticised the government for breaking the promises made before GE13 through its manifesto, promising not to vote for the Barisan Nasional in the next general election.
Syah Raja Azlan said: "Manifesto bn sebelum PRU kadar tol tidak akan dinaikkan. Selepas PRU bukan saja tol tapi semua barang naik harga.. Ini baru tahun pertama, ada lagi 4 tahun untuk kami menghadap," (BN's manifesto before GE13 was that toll rates will not be increased. After election, not only toll rates but the prices of all things went up. This is only the first year; we still have four more to go through.)
Aminuddin Abdul Wahab said: "Janji BN janji kosong." (BN’s promise is empty promise.)
"PRU lepas ni..memang no more BN.. get ready to sit on the opposition seat," said Firdaus Nordin in a warning to the prime minister. – December 21, 2013.
