PENANG: Do not compare Singapore’s economy with that of Malaysia’s.It is like comparing “first-class grapes (Singapore) with first-class apples (Malaysia),” Prime Minster Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said when addressing the Chinese community at the Penang Chinese Town Hall (PCTH) dialogue session yesterday.“We are a population of over 20 million and we rank eighth in the world in terms of our competitiveness.”This is not the Government’s figure and I am not telling you lies. This statistic is from an international survey.”
“If I quote statistics from our own surveys, you will not believe us. Everywhere I go, the business community tells me that Malaysia is doing very well. These people are smart. You cannot fool them because they are well-read,” he said, adding that the Government had no reason to lie.
“Please trust us – we are your government. If you look at the economy, we are doing well. That is a fact proven by figures. But people still claim otherwise because of increasing prices. This is a very simplistic way of analysing the economy.”
“Nobody is happy to see prices rising but this is out of our control. The question is not how to bring down prices but how to help the rakyat cope.”
“Every country in the world is faced with rising oil prices except maybe Brunei but you cannot compare. The RM40bil oil subsidy we give out can be used to build better schools, roads, hospitals and infrastructure but we don’t want to burden the people,” he said, adding that education and medical treatment was also heavily subsidised by the Government.
“We subsidise even water and electricity, yet people are angry when they hear the word ‘toll’. We try to subsidise as much as possible but we still need to impose toll charges because we need to build roads,” he said before thanking the Chinese community for contributing to the country’s economy.
“The private sector is dominated by the Chinese and I want to say a big ‘thank you’ to the community for creating so many job opportunities,” he said.
Source: The Star
Pak Lah: It is like comparing “first-class grapes (Singapore) with first-class apples (Malaysia)”
Hahahahahahaahahahahahaaaaaahahahahahahahaahahahahahaaa……
I really don’t understand how our PM can come out with such statement, what a GENIUS!
Alright alright, I must agree with Pak Lah that Malaysia is indeed a first-class apple, a first-class rotten apple.
Hmm…i don’t agree with what you have written there saying Malaysia is a first-class rotten apple! Each country has their own strength and weakness in many aspect. Well, the comparison that Pak Lah gave may not be appropriate or tactful but that doesn’t mean that Malaysia is rotten.
Malaysia’s society is not rotten but the government’s certainly ROTTEN to the core. Corruption and abuse of power has made some segments of the government, especially UMNO pigs, blind to the people that elected them.
Well all said and done - Malaysian have proved all wrong, to the BN especially. Lets hope the best out of DAP-PKR-PAS.
It is hillarious to hear DAP PENANG Chief Minister to ask the federal govt to use PETRONAS money to build second bridge. Hey, only first day in office sudah mau squander people’s money.
Petroleum money is not meant to build your…… 2nd bridge for PENANG. If you’re what you said you are, please make do with your one bridge, otherwise continue collect toll to help you build another bridge.
What about people in Sarawak and Sabah, they deserve more of the country’s PETROLEUM revenue.
Look here, there’re three highways from KL to KLIA, and the whole of semanjung is linked with highways, in Sarawak and Sabah none of that except bumby roads.
Yes there’re something called coastal highways, which actually are small winding bumby road never seem to get done fully to the end.
If there is one thing the federal govt should give East Malaysian, who has been your obedient boys, please make real highways from Kuching to KK, they deserve it, don’t you think so! It has been 50 years! Stop using small population as an excuse, Samy Vellu conveniently ignored Sarawak and Sabah, the states were not fighting for the right thing from the federal govt. Dont use the money to build 2nd Penanag Bridge, build Borneo highway (real one) like has been promised many many times.
Back to DAP chief minister, please stop this nonsense of using PEYTROLEUM money to build your bridge. I’ve never been so mad until I hear this.
By the way, CM really look smart at the ceremony, use a bit less minyak rambut will help to reduce harga minyak.
hahahhahahah..good point amar..they talked about BN local graduate policies`s maker mindset before the election. now we can see their so called ‘overseas graduate’ mindset..so oily..eeeeeeuuu
I dont think you are our goverment.
why can’t we compare singapore with malaysia.There no law saying that.and,that is my homwork!
AND true ! that was my homework!
TO COMPARE SINGAPORE WITH Malaysia