Malaysia's underpaid, under appreciated, and under quarantine cops and still nothing in store for them in the Budget

Budget 2021's Winners and Losers

Cops to continue singing the blues

Puchong, 7 Nov: Tengku Zafrul's maiden Budget bears many "gifts" for poorer Malaysians hit hardest by the pandemic and the economic woes caused by it but, and it's a big BUT, the Minister of Finance may have overlooked our overworked, underpaid cops. Sure, there's that RM17 billion to beef up national security but that money won't reach the regular police officer, who will therefore have very little to look forward to next year. And if you sit down and think of the money for nothing that some folks will be getting (for eg Jasa get RM81 mil revival), that's downright depressing for these cops.

Sadder, nobody seems to really care. Former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad did refer to the shocking fact that 10 thousand of ours cops were under quarantine (that's about 10 per cent of our police force) but the only reason he mentioned it, seems to me, was to convince people of this Government's evil intention to push for a state of Emergency.

"I've been made to understand that the government is still trying to declare and Emergency for this beloved country. Going by their arguments, this nation is supposed to be in crisis, with 10,000 police personnel hit by Covid-19, one million foreigners having flocked the country and if Emergency is not declared by Monday, 2 November, the stock market would come crashing down". (as loosely translated from Chedet's posting Darurat)

The cyber NGO that call themselves Marah* is one of the few who have expressed disappointment (I hope the police top brass and the minister in charge are disappointed, too, even if they don't or can't express it openly). Marah founder Dave Avran said while he's happy with the Budget, generally, "what we feel is lacking is upgrading the housing, salaries and equipment of the rank and file of the defence and PDRM officers who are crucial touch point with the public". 

If I were the Minister of Finance, I'd take a little of the money I've allocated to Jasa, for which I'm getting so much unnecessary flak, and spend it on the cops and their families. And a huge chuck off the Prime Minister's Department. I mean, come on, why does the PM's Department need nearly RM4 billion more (from RM7.9 bil to RM11.7 bil)?

* MARAH is Malaysians Against Rape, Assault and SnatcH Theft, a self-funding cyber NGO, which gets worse than nothing under the Budget 

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