Yesterday, both my children collected their RM100 each from their school.
Was I thrilled as a parent? Was I grateful as a citizen? Was I impressed as a voter?
The answer is a plain ‘no’ to all the questions above.
Too little, too late, but I will still take it anyway. This is all I could afford to say on this fake generosity.
If I was given RM100 after 5 years, it simply means I was given 0.05 cents a day. (RM100 divided by 1825 days, which is 5 years).
Make it to 0.10 cent because I have got two kids (0.05 cents multiply with 2).
What can I possibly buy with 0.10 cents in my hand? Nothing, not even a dead maggot from the rubbish dump.
I was treated worst than a beggar. It is an insult and a slap in the face. So I have nothing to be grateful for.
No, I did not even bother to go to the school to collect it. I asked my children to collect the money themselves.
I hate it when people bring politics to the school. It should be a neutral ground, just like a place of worship or the hospital.
My children told me one short man with a big fat belly came to school to distribute the money to the students. Parents were invited for the ceremony and according to my children, only about 10 parents bothered to come to get the money from him. The rest do not bother. They have more important things to do, I guess. He want to see me to buy my vote but too bad, I do not want to see him. I prefer to take a cat nap at home instead.
“Don’t look down on this RM100,” the short man with big fat belly told the children.
“You kids here are very lucky to be given RM100 each. Back in those days, kids were not given any money, right?” he turned around to look at the teachers for answers. Some smiled, some kept quiet, some nodded.
“RM100 is very big money and can get you loads and loads of stuff, right?” he tried to impress the young audience. No one answer him.
“We are traveling in a big and comfortable ship with a capable and caring captain. But some naughty people wanted to create mischief,” he warned. “So, go home and tell your parents to vote wisely, to vote for continuity…..” he blahed on.
“What else did he said?” I asked my two young informants.
“He blahed and blahed on but I was not interested in what he was saying, so I didn’t give him any more attention. We were all busy chatting away,” my daughter said of the students at the canteen that day.
“Put the money away into your piggy bank,” I instructed my children.
“Oh no, we can’t,” my daughter objected. “By next week, we have to pay up to the clubs and societies that we have joined in school. RM100 is not enough. Daddy have to dig into his own pockets to make up the difference,” she pointed out.
Ah, another classical example of “right hand gives, left hand takes back,” I said smilingly to her.
We all have a good laugh.
.jpg?resize=200%2C200)
In my son’s school, either one of the parents has to go and collect the money. This time it was pretty quick,about 15 minutes, unlike the previous one which took abt an hour.
Hi Peter, I guess I was luckier than you, I was spared the ordeal of having to meet this “short man with a big fat belly.”
Hi, I came your interesting blog by chance. I just moved to Ipoh after my retirement. Am just crazy about the convenience in Ipoh. I share the same thought about the RM100 but alas the money is ours.
Hi Noor Ainun, welcome to my blog and glad to hear you have such a wonderful time living in Ipoh. Yes, the money is ours but they’re treating it like it’s their own.
Did the guy really asked the children to tell their parents to vote for them? I’m really angry over this. Politics should not come into education. Now we have politics in secondary schools and universities. This is too much!
I like your statement “right hand gives, left hand takes back”. We all realize about this. No one will be fool by them again.
Yes, according to my children. Unscrupulous politicians are now busy fishing for votes in school. From primary schools right up to universities, politics are rearing it’s ugly head. Did you read in yesterday papers that two different parties within the same coalition are fighting among themselves for the privilege to distribute our money?
I read that. Only God knows where the money goes – definitely not everything is going to the rakyat.
I am curious about this. How many schools were involved and in each school how many RM100 were given? Did they also give the “how to vote card” to bring home to their parents. Did it only happen in KL? It is well known that voters in Taiwan can get paid for their votes but this is a novelty and will be copied somewhere else in Asia. Great creative marketing gimmick and why didn’t I thought of it first! Innovative!!!! lol.
Hi IpohBornKid,
No, not only in KL, but the whole country. School children were given RM100 each by the authorities using taxpayers money and passing it off as a gift to help lessen the burdens of parents, can you imagine the hypocrisy of it all?