Is Pakatan Rakyat propagating the same bad BN culture and practices...ADUN/MP - people relationship, ...

What Penang did for the Senior Citizens was good...but  they were following the BN ways when they wanted to disburse to the people through their ADUNs only - so wrong. 

Pakatan Rakyat has the majority, and is the government of Penang BUT when benefits are to be given to the people, and means chosen is through their elected reps, i.e. the ADUNs - then it must be channeled to all ADUNs, all the people elected reps - not just the Pakatan Rakyat reps. This was what Barisan have been doing and we do not want this to continue..

It is different if the money is coming from the Pakatan Rakyat political parties - but not if the money is the people's money that the government is disbursing.

They would otherwise have to visit a constituency under a Pakatan Rakyat representative to receive the RM100.

I also do not agree with the practice of  disbursing government funds and goods through elected reps - do it through the relevant government department.

Why disburse money through ADUN? To give the 'wrong impression' that the money is coming from the particular ADUN/MP ....or to give the 'wrong impression' that you are getting the money because of that particular ADUN/MP....

The BN culture has propagated the MPs/ADUNs as being 'rich' (or with a lot of access to money, etc) - and we go to the MPs/ADUNs to get financial aid/support for this and that... BN gave its reps money, which they called 'constituency development fund' and this was the money that the BN MPs/ADUNs dished out as though it was their own .... "so generous...so sensitive...so supporting...such a nice persons " - that was what people thought of their MPs/ADUNs. MPs/ADUNs became source of financial support, important for getting contracts/tenders, etc.. and that is all. Does rtha Pakatan Rakyat want to propagate that same perception...that same culture...I hope not.

The ADUN/MP is not the 'person with the goodies and influence' - he/she is the peoples' representative. The people channel their views, concerns, etc through their elected reps. Elected reps get the peoples' feedback and opinion before he cast his/her vote in Parliament/State Legislative Assembly. How many MPs have had sessions with their constituents to even explain the GST and the ramifications if it is passed or not. [Oh yes - the people are not interested in that - they come to see me only for money or some personal problem - AND I say the problem is with the MP/ADUN who still wants to propagate the same relationship that BN developed and preserved]

BN did not want the people to involve themselves in the decision making process - they did not want to educate people about things, have consultations, get views, etc... BN wanted you to vote for BN, and BN will give you money, benefits, contracts, etc... [Is the PKR, PAS, DAP ...Pakatan Rakyat propagating the same culture... 'stupid people - do not worry we will decide everything for you......']

Senior citizens want their cash from the Penang government to be either directly distributed or banked into their accounts.

They are entitled to RM100 under the Senior Citizens Appreciation Programme.

The government has decided to post vouchers to recipients at their home addresses, to be redeemed at any Maybank branch.

Senior Active Group of Elders President Chin Sek Ham said while he appreciated the state's efforts to care for the elderly, it was inconvenient for the infirm and wheelchair-bound to have to travel to a bank.

"Those who have no bank accounts, would also have to further undergo the inconvenience of opening an account first," Chin, 69, a former teacher, said.

"It should not be a problem for us to collect the cash direct from the government as long it is received directly by the person whose name has been registered with the state," he added.

In a press statement issued today, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (right) said the money will be posted after the launch of the Senior Citizens Appreciation Programme in Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang on Mar 21.

The state government decided on this latest move to facilitate the disbursement of the funds and reduce inconvenience caused to senior citizens.

They would otherwise have to visit a constituency under a Pakatan Rakyat representative to receive the RM100.

Raymond Kwok, 66, suggested that it would be better for the money to be banked in directly to the senior citizen's account.

"In this way, the money goes directly to each person, and we can withdraw it anytime," said Kwok, a local writer with several newspapers, who has published five books in the local Hokkien dialect.

"The government could also distribute the money at the various Rukun Tetangga locations," he added.

While he thanked the state government for initiating the programme, Kwok lamented that the registration process was similar to a 'merry-go-round'.

"There was a long queue and we were asked the same stupid questions many times. Why can't the forms be distributed to all the constituencies and explained clearly so that it can be completed and returned quickly?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Lim has accused his political opponents of trying to sabotage this cash appreciation programme by describing it as an act of bribery and corruption.

However, he said the programme will continue as planned and his administration is prepared to face any investigation or action by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Agency. - Malaysiakini, 20/3/2010,Senior citizens: Bank cash into our accounts