KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Harris Salleh yesterday asked the federal government to review the two stimulus packages totalling RM67 billion and consider giving RM300 cash to every adult for a nine-month period.
He said the move was necessary to boost economic activities in the country, particularly in rural areas.
“People will spend and will keep buying domestic products. This in turn will keep domestic consumers and factories going.
“Thailand’s stimulus package is paying 2,000 baht (RM205) to everyone and this is a good move that we should emulate and even America with their sophisticated society, everything is established and entrenched livelihood, its stimulus packages are very effective.
“Its US$145 billion goes directly into the pockets of low-and middle-income group, especially workers,” he told Bernama in an interview.
Harris opined Malaysia’s stimulus packages would not benefit the low-and middle-income people as a large chunk of the RM67 billion would be spent for infrastructure development and helping exported-oriented manufacturing industries.
He said the objective of any stimulus package should be for the benefit of low-and middle-income earners “who are in need and will spend which in turn will revive the overall economy.”
“The only and best way to boost rural economic activities is for the government to abolish subsidies for rice, sugar, cooking oil and petroleum products and at the same time also scrap school and medical fees.
“And in return the government introduces RM300 cash payment,” he said.
Harris said the RM300 cash subsidy currently given to fishermen by the government was not fair and just.
“It’s discrimination …what about the people in Tambunan, Nabawan, Pitas and Kota Marudu who are poorer?” he asked.
Harris said: “The argument of this policy is that when prices of subsidised goods are adjusted back to current market prices, then the people will start feeling the pinch of high prices and high cost of living and start working harder to produce their daily basic agriculture products from their own areas.
“The rural people can then start working on their vacant or abandoned land as they have been assured a steady income for the next nine months without having to worry about their daily needs.
“They will start planting their own rice and vegetables and make cooking oil from coconuts lying around their houses.
Otherwise the rural people will only survive on the famous Malay saying — Kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang,” he said.
Harris, a successful corporate figure in the agriculture sector, said the RM300 payment a month for nine months would cost the federal government about RM2 billion a month or RM18 billion for the whole period.
“This is much cheaper than the subsidy paid by the government. Giving RM300 a month will in effect distribute the country’s wealth equally nationwide,” he said.
He said it would also change the socio-economic status and working attitude of the rural folk to be self-sufficient, at least for their daily needs.
“This is an opportunity for Malaysia to use the stimulus packages to help the low-and middle-income people to boost their economic activities.
“Making the rural areas once and for all permanently self-sufficient and sustainable to support at least 60 per cent of their daily essentials.
“Even Iran is reportedly 95 per cent self-sufficent now in agricultural output,” he added.
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Ini lah antara satu-satunya cadangan Datuk Harris akhir-akhir ini yang bernas dan logik... dan patut diberi pertimbangan serius oleh Kerajaan. Semua projek-projek mega yang dibuat tidak akan dapat memberikan impak langsung kepada rakyat dan juga ekonomi dalam jangkamasa yang singkat.
Jelas.... rakyat miskin di pedalaman Sabah dan Sarawak telah dilupakan lagi. Para nelayan diberi RM300.... rakyat pedalaman apa macam??? Nda kana paduli lagi kan...
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