Can Bidayuh Think?

We are the most recipients of subsidized good since we are still living under the poverty line. Our household income would be at RM 600.00 per household. We work as shifting farmers, labors, government servants, private sector servants and a few contractors. No entrepreneurs perhaps.

We have to stick to the current ruling party because we need help and assistance from our government. There is no way that opposition can help us because they have no money, no solid economic development plan and their manifesto is impossible; free education, reduction of tariffs, taxes and subsidies. Their manifesto will make our country bankrupt in 5 years or less and the rakyat will be in great suffer and depression.

I read their manifesto and it seems to be a great offer and promises. Nothing more or less. Just good enough to reconsider. I have read the same kind of manifesto by the BN's people agenda and prosperous country. Not least; reduction price of goods versus more kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia. Tough fight indeed but people will consider th best solution of all kind of pricing havoc.

I believe that we (government and me) need to tackle the root issue of pricing havoc. Trillions Ringgit of government subsidies will never solve the problem of the pricing havoc. More Kedai Rakyat and Kedai Kain 1 Malaysia is a mere political agenda and that is why we see our lovely outlet at 12th Mile and Tarat Jaya are quite empty. I don't blame the packaging and the price as that is a practical way to reduce price; simple packaging, no advertisement, eliminate middle-man and reduce labor.

Perhaps, this is the right time to speak out our thought on government's stand on "extreme monopoly" that made us desperate and rely a lot on government subsidies. Creative capitalism could be a friendly approach to talk to capitalist on how they can help the poor and needy. We were the world's palm oil producers and yet we still pay a high price on cooking oils. What the government does is keep on paying SIME Darby, Felda Global Venture and oil palm related producers more money to help the people to fry their fish and chicken. When the CPO price drops, those producers stop buying palm oil fruit and keep their stock until the CPO global market "recovers" and the production start to increase again. Somehow, the price of cooking oil never decrease.

Air Asia group is a good example of airliner business that help Malaysian travelling all over the places. Low price and low reliance on government assistance especially on MAB (Malaysian Airport Berhad) taxes. They have their (own) airport LCCT (Low cost carrier Terminal) because they knew that to provide a cheap service, everything must be cheaper but the standard of service is maintains. This business innovation should be a good example for creative capitalism in such a challenging and tough business competition. They have proven it; world best low cost carrier! And not like LION Air.

Get back to the monopoly and pricing headache, we tend to give "alternative" and leave the problem solved by itself. Build more 1 Malaysia shop with attractive prices. I don't see it as a good practices in business view but a lost because KR1M (Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia) cannot increase their sale with less target group or customers with almost whole day of empty shops. What government can do is to regulate and monitor extreme monopoly before we cannot handle the balloon of deficit, inflation and imbalance of social living; the gabs between the rich and poor. We must learn from USA's wall street "disaster" which Obama has a great headache to monitor. Most Americans think and believe that Wall Street must stop being greedy because they couldn't solve the issue of un-employment and inflation. But it is too late because American is built by capitalist and monopoly and not by good politic. The two power cannot get along as American greed is greater than American nation building. They called it American Dream ( making wealthy American) and now they are American Greeds!. End up, they face the same issue, desperation to survive in a "illing" morale country with racial issue, job and politic.

If our politic is good then, we should talk to Syed Moktar, Albert Kwok, Ananda Krisnan and other UMNO-BN tycoons the government desire and willingness to have a "healthy" rakyat. If they refuse, then they are not interested to be a citizen with equal right of citizenship. Furthermore, they have even more at overseas such as China, India and European countries. Helping or leaving; after all they rely on Malaysian resources to be a wealthy person today.

This is not about Socialism economy but perhaps a good approach of how to help the government to ease the burden of subsidies and assistance to help the people. Yes. Maintain the profit and don't be greedy. Take what is needed and give the rest to the people not through foundations and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) but by reducing price of good and services. I believe that if our monopolies and capitalists feel the people's heart beat, we don't need more cheap sales shops and subsided goods. The only entity that can talk to those rich people is politic and lawmakers and not the people with no power and ability