The city of dichotomies

Kuala Lumpur is a city of dichotomies.

The fair and lovely exist beside the filthy and foul. We just merely turn a blind eye to what we do not want to see.

Our dear government has recently announced the allocation of RM 90 billion and RM 91 billion respectively for expenditure in the first two years of the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP). This however raises more questions rather than answers.

Will the man on this motorcycle be guaranteed to see his son attain a good education at primary school, secondary school, and thereafter university?

The roti man will still have to ply his wares for a few ringgit a month.

This gentlemen will still have to continue sharpening knives for a meagre sum, even though he is well of age and should be enjoying his pension.

The street peddler will have to market these stolen shoes just to have a meal to survive each day, and he will not receive a single slice of the pie.

Will the ridiculously enormous allocations for the 10MP benefit the fish monger? Of course not. Life will go on as usual.

The mak cik that you see selling kuih muih will have to continue her trade for as long as her health and age permits.

This chinese lady selling fruits will have to be content with this small, humble stall for the rest of her life because the 10MP will not help her to get a proper shop to sell her goods.

Many people will still have to go on living in these occupationally unfit shop houses because their small salaries can't afford them to live in a more decent residence.

Beneath the lovely, velvety appearance of the 10MP, a more serious issue persists.

It is moral decay at the highest levels of administration.

These poor people above will continue to be abandoned by the rest of society. They have no hope, and will never receive the benefits of any _th Malaysia Plan.

Can we ever expect any justice and assistance from a core that blatantly exclaims "Do we have a deal or not?" and "I help you, you help me"?

They say "what goes around comes around". I guess for those of us who're remaining in boleh-land, we have to wait a bit longer than expected for that to happen, if it happens at all.

Cheers.