As expected...

As expected, civil servants will get a pay rise this year - though the quantum has not been decided yet. Our esteemed Prime Minister say they (the civil servants) deserved it. And while the jury is still out on that particular statement, my own view is that a salary adjustment is long overdue - the last being in 1993 I think - but it would not lead to better productivity or service, nor would it reduce the need for civil servants to have part-time jobs, as some have hoped.

Reason: inflation. Those decision-makers probably need to go and do shopping for themselves at the local wet market, (or hypermarkets for that matter), fill their own petrol tanks, pay their own toll charges, pay their own utility bills or (what the heck!) just eat out at your local coffeeshop/mamak stall for them to realise this. While the pay rise have been hoped to lighten the burden on civil servants, who is to say that this would not lead to further increases in the future? "Hey, last time we increased the petrol price, you say no pay rise - now you should not complain ma..."

And for the ruling government to use this as a gimmick for their election plans - widely anticipated it may be - would only distract the short-sighted and money-minded; larger issues remain ignored and unsolved. While I'm sure this latest gimmick will win the ruling coalition a number of votes and ultimately the coming general election, I'm not so sure that things will remain upbeat after the elections are over...

My crystal ball reads: 'toll and utility increases across the board after the general election' and sad to say, it is hardly wrong...